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Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across HM Prison and Probation Service

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    ‘Seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across HM Prison and Probation Service

    Reports of bullying and harassment are “a wake-up call and an opportunity to change”, Lord Timpson said today (6 May), after a review recommended wholesale change to how HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) deals with complaints.

    • New unit to deal with allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination outside of chain-of-command
    • Builds on action to strengthen vetting to root out those who fall below the high standards expected
    • Tackling unacceptable behaviour better will improve retention rates and staff morale, part of our Plan for Change to reduce reoffending, cut crime and keep our streets safe

    The Prisons, Probation, and Reducing Reoffending Minister pledged a ‘seismic shift’ to improve professional standards across the service.

    Immediate action will include establishing a new unit to investigate and better respond to allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

    It will be independent – taking complaints away from the line management hierarchy to ensure they are dealt with impartially and fairly by a dedicated team of experts.

    It comes as more than one in eight staff last year reported being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against – 50 per cent higher than the wider Civil Service.

    Today’s announcement follows a comprehensive review by Jennifer Rademaker, a non-executive director for the Ministry of Justice. Commissioned by HMPPS leaders, it examined the HR processes and culture for dealing with professional standards complaints.

    In a speech at HMP High Down in Surrey this morning, Lord James Timpson said: 

    Professional standards matter. They cannot simply be words on paper. They must be reflected in how we treat each other, every day.  

    And where those standards aren’t met – our staff – and the public – must know that we’ll take swift and decisive action. 

    HMPPS recognised that something needed to be done. That’s why it commissioned Jennifer to carry out her independent Review in the first place, and I’m pleased we have accepted her recommendations in full.

    He contrasted the misogyny and sexual harassment experienced by a young prison officer at work with the bravery of staff responding to help prison officers attacked last month at HMP Frankland.

    Lord Timpson said:

    They ran towards danger, when others would run away. They are true heroes. And our thoughts are with the injured officers as they continue to recover.

    That kind of bravery isn’t rare in the Service. Our probation officers, too, manage risk constantly, working with dangerous offenders to keep the public safe.

    These are jobs where heroism happens daily, in environments more stressful, more pressurised, than people could possibly imagine.

    The question is, then: how do we make this a Service worthy of the heroes at Frankland? Worthy of every hero in the Service?

    Recommendations from the report include:

    • The establishment of an independent central unit to handle the reporting of claims of bullying, harassment and discrimination.
    • The creation of an Independent Commissioner for HMPPS Professional Standards.
    • Improving data collection on complaints by creating one database and regular updates to all staff.

    The Government has accepted all the recommendations from the review and will begin implementing them immediately as part of its Plan for Change. It will ensure unacceptable behaviour is tackled quickly and effectively. Improving staff morale, safety and retention rates will ensure prisons and probation can focus more on reducing reoffending and making streets safer.

    This will build on significant action already being taken to drive up professionalism across the Service and root out those who fall below the high standards expected. This includes bolstering vetting processes to make it harder for unsuitable people to enter the workforce and improving staff training.

    Work is also underway to improve the training provided to staff – to ensure they not only have the technical skills needed but possess strong ethical foundations, too. It will see the introduction of a more structured, longer-term approach to training with higher standards, so staff will be better equipped and more likely to thrive.

    Meanwhile, HMPPS’s Counter Corruption Unit is working directly with police forces across the country to identify and remove staff who abuse their position or engage in criminal conduct.

    Background

    • The report provides 12 recommendations to improve the processes around reporting bullying, harassment and discrimination. HMPPS has accepted all the recommendations and work is underway to implement these.
    • You can read both the review and HMPPS’ response on GOV.UK HMPPS Professional Standards Review – GOV.UK

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: John Swinney’s Programme for Government speech

    Source: Scottish National Party

    Presiding Officer,

    Tomorrow will mark one year since I was honoured to be elected as the First Minister of this country that I love.

    I spoke then of my ambition to create a vibrant economy in every part of our country, my determination to tackle the challenges faced by our beloved National Health Service, and my hope that we can come together as a Parliament, and as a country, to focus on solutions rather than allowing our disagreements to dominate.

    Over the past year, amidst real challenges, amidst deep uncertainty on the global stage, progress has been made. In ways big and small, a corner is being turned. This is a government that is working hard and determined to get Scotland on track for success.

    That progress has been evident in the way we do our business here in our Parliament. The fact that four parties were able to come together, to negotiate in good faith, and pass a budget that delivers record funding for our National Health Service, is testament to what is possible.

    Today’s Programme for Government is presented in that same spirit. It contains many of the fruits of our budget process – with elements within it that are there only because of the co-operation of other parties.

    But this is also a programme by an SNP government, a government that cares deeply about Scotland, a government that has total confidence in Scotland’s ability to rise to any challenge and to weather any storm.

    Presiding Officer, before I turn to those elements that are in the Programme for Government, I want to talk about some measures that are not included.

    With a year to go until the end of this parliament, there are clearly, limits on the amount of legislation we can present. This government – and I personally – remain entirely committed to tackling misogynistic abuse against women. Regrettably I do not believe there is sufficient parliamentary time to make progress through a standalone Bill which I would plan to bring forward at the start of the next Parliament. We will however take the action we can in this Parliament by adding sex as a protected characteristic to existing hate crimes legislation to protect women and girls and by taking further steps in our policy, to tackle unacceptable abuse of women and girls in our society.

    Conversion Practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are harmful and abusive. Over this coming year, we will seek to work with the United Kingdom government to deliver a legislative ban across England, Wales and Scotland. But if agreement is not possible, we will publish legislation in the first year of the next parliamentary term. Members of the LGBTQI+ community should have no doubt that we will work with them to protect and to defend their rights.

    Times are tough, presiding oofficer and times are changing, in ways that I know bring real anxiety to our citizens, real fear to many in our business community. But my promise to the people of Scotland is that amidst the uncertainty there is one thing they can be sure of: this is a government that will always seek to do what is best for Scotland. As First Minister, I will always put the needs and interests, the hopes and dreams of the people of Scotland first.

    When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people’s concerns about the health of Scotland’s NHS.

    They would tell me about their many positive experiences of high-quality care from the dedicated staff in the NHS, experiences of treatment and care that are, invariably, world class. But they also spoke of difficulties accessing that care. Waiting times that were unacceptable, adding to anxiety. Systems that they felt did not put patients first.

    Presiding officer, there are many issues that compete on a daily basis for the attention of a First Minister, but what could be more important than our National Health Service?

    So I am proud that the £30 million that we committed has not just delivered the 64,000 additional NHS appointments and procedures between April 2024 and the end of January 2025 that we promised, but over 40,000 more than planned. An extra 105,000 vital, additional appointments and procedures that are helping to reduce waiting lists and waiting times. We have met the children and adolescents’ mental health waiting time standards, with over 90 per cent now seen within 18 weeks of their referral.

    More cancer patients are now treated faster. Compared with a decade ago, 16 per cent more patients receive care within the 31-day standard and 11 per cent more within the 62-day standard.

    Statistics, yes, but behind each one a person who has received the sort of reliable and effective care from the National Health Service that they deserve.

    Progress, yes, but with a very clear understanding that there is more, much more to do.

    And that is why a renewed and stronger NHS is at the very heart of this Programme for Government.

    Getting our NHS on track is about reform that is fundamentally patient-centred, it is about investment, and it’s about increasing productivity and capacity.

    This approach makes it possible for us to deliver more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025-26.  

    The additional investment secured through the Scottish budget will enable us to expand specialist regional centres; technology will mean more efficient use of operating theatres. The result, a 50 per cent increase in the number of surgical procedures we can deliver compared with last year. 

    There will be a renewed focus on cancer diagnosis and treatment, targeted investment so that health boards can clear backlogs and substantially improve waiting times.

    Presiding officer, I could spend the whole statement just talking about the steps we are taking to access the National Health Service, but before moving on, I will highlight one other area that I know is of particular concern for many people.  

    While many people’s experience of their GP is excellent, for many others there is deep frustration over the difficulty making appointments and what has been described as the 8am lottery.

    This is of central importance to me. That is why we are acting to reduce pressure and increase capacity in the system, so that it is easier for people to get the care that they need, when they need it.

    That includes in the year ahead a further expansion of Pharmacy First services – with pharmacies being the right first port of call for many ailments.  

    But it also means the delivery of an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries focused on key risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking.  

    This year, primary care, including GPs, is receiving a bigger share of new NHS funding, and we are committed to not only increasing GP numbers but protecting Scotland’s advantage which means substantially more GPs per head in Scotland compared to elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

    Presiding officer, members across the chamber will know that, alongside the NHS, our constituents are also deeply exercised by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. We have experienced a decade and more of financial insecurity, higher prices and squeezed real incomes. Life feels substantially tougher for very many of those that we serve.

    The economy means jobs, growth and investment, and I will talk about all of these elements.  

    But above all, the economy is about people’s quality of life, it is about their own household budget, their ability to pay the bills.  

    This Scottish government will always do what it can to deliver the best deal for the people of Scotland. In concrete terms that means a commitment to keep Council Tax bills – already over 30 per cent lower on average in Scotland than in England – substantially lower than elsewhere in the UK.

    Water bills – already 20 per cent lower than in England – will remain lower, as will income tax for the majority of workers in Scotland.  

    Prescriptions will continue to be free here in Scotland.

    Eye appointments, free. 

    Bus travel for young, disabled and older people in Scotland – free.  

    Scotland will continue to pay no tuition fees.   

    Parents will continue to benefit from a package of early learning and childcare worth more than £6000 for every eligible child.  

    Free school meals, which save the average family £400 per child per year, will be expanded, and more breakfast clubs introduced.  

    Together, this is my cost-of-living guarantee. A package that year on year delivers savings for the people of Scotland, a package that exists nowhere else in the United Kingdom.  

    And, Presiding Officer, it is a package of cost-of-living support that we are always looking to enhance where we can.  

    That is why we took the decision in the budget to restore a winter fuel payment for Scottish pensioners, with the poorest receiving the most. Those payments will be made this year.   

    And it is why we are committed to doing even more.

    Last year, in the face of severe budget pressures, we took the difficult decision to end the peak fares pilot on our railways.

    But now, given the work that we have done to get Scotland’s finances in a stronger position, and hearing also the calls from commuters, from climate activists and from the business community, I can confirm that, from the 1st of September this year, peak rail fares in Scotland will be scrapped for good.  

    A decision that will put more money in people’s pockets and mean less CO2 is pumped into our skies.   

    Once again, tens of thousands of Scots saving money.  

    Once again, a better deal for people because they live in Scotland.  

    Better for Scots because there is a government that always strives for what is best for Scotland.  

    Alongside the cost-of-living pressures – the consequence of a series of body blows from austerity and Brexit to the spike in inflation and energy costs that followed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine – new threats are emerging that have the potential to cause extensive damage to the Scottish economy.  

    Tariffs will impact directly on many Scottish exporters to the United States, while a US recession and a global trade war, will have effects direct and indirect on almost every sector of our economy. 

    Presiding officer, this Programme for Government has been published earlier than usual, in part because it allows a clear year of delivery on the NHS and other public services, delivery in those areas that matter in the day-to-day lives of our citizens. But it is also being published now because of the scale of the looming economic challenge that we face.   

    For the sake of Scottish jobs, for the sake of protecting people’s quality of life, we are taking new steps, accelerating action, to ensure Scotland’s economy is better placed to ride the economic storms.  

    Members will see the detailed and extensive section on the economy in the Programme for Government document, with action on planning reform, skills, housing investment, support for our rural economy including our vital food and drink sector, promotion of Scotland the brand and more. But I want to highlight three particular initiatives designed to respond directly and specifically to the challenges we now face.  

    First, working with Scottish Development International across their 34 international offices, we will deliver a new 6-point Export Plan, to enable Scottish exporters to diversify and to grow markets. This includes:  

    • more support for SME’s to participate in trade missions in both established and emerging markets; 
    • additional grant funding to help companies unlock specific, targeted international growth; and, 
    • bespoke support in key sectors – technology, life sciences, renewables and hydrogen – to maximise international opportunities.

    Second, to enable emerging Scottish companies to grow, we will create a new Proof of Concept fund, with a focus on supporting the commercialisation of research projects with significant economic potential. We will deliver an improved Ecosystem fund to further enhance Scotland’s already effective start-up environment, including action to transform the number of women who start and scale up businesses.

    We must not forget, even amidst the gathering clouds, that Scotland is an innovative nation, and that opportunities exist which can deliver real and significant benefits now and in the future. This government will prepare for the challenges but we also seek to position Scotland to make the most of the many and significant economic opportunities that still exist.   

    Third, we will deepen our commitment to a just transition and an industrial future for Scotland. As members will be aware, the Deputy First Minister is actively engaging with potential investors to ensure a green industrial future for the Grangemouth site. A key element in the success of this work is the development of carbon capture in Scotland, which is why it is now vital that the UK government provides support not only to carbon capture projects in England, but also to the Acorn project in Scotland’s northeast.

    The Scottish Government has previously committed up to £80 million to make this happen if the UK Government, in turn, made the commitments necessary for the project to progress. Given the importance of this project for the Scottish economy, given its place at the very heart of the green reindustrialisation that is my ambition, and I trust the ambition of all parties in this chamber, my government is now willing, as part of a wider package of investment in industrial transformation, to remove that cap and increase the amount of Scottish funding that is available to make Acorn a reality should the project be given the go ahead by the United Kingdom Government. 

    I know that many in this chamber share my concern that Scotland is little more than an afterthought to a UK government that is willing to invest in a supercomputer in the southeast of England, weeks after cancelling the supercomputer for Edinburgh. A UK government that moved heaven and earth to save Scunthorpe but will not do the same for Grangemouth. Perhaps with swift action from the UK Government to support Acorn, which in turn will help us deliver the future that Grangemouth deserves, the Prime Minister will do the right thing by Grangemouth.

    Presiding officer, working to deliver a stronger NHS, giving the people of Scotland the best cost-of-living support of any part of the UK, and action to protect Scotland’s economy and maximise our economic potential in the face of global challenges, this is a government with what is best for Scotland at its heart.  

    Since becoming First Minister last year, I have sought to focus government efforts on four central priorities.   

    We seek a wealthier Scotland, higher standards of living for the people of Scotland, with action to grow Scotland’s economy.

    A fairer Scotland, with Scotland’s growing wealth shared more fairly so that we can remove the scourge of child poverty in our land.  

    A greener Scotland, with action to maximize the benefits felt by the people of Scotland from our renewable energy wealth, benefits in terms of lower bills and well-paid jobs, and action to reduce emissions and protect and restore our stunning natural environment.  

    And we seek public services that meet, and indeed exceed, the expectations of the people of Scotland. Have no doubt, many already do. But where action is needed to reform and renew, this government will take it.   

    Progress for Scotland underpins each of our priorities and is at the heart of everything we will do.   

    I want a Scotland that we can be proud of, a Scotland that is the best it can possibly be. 

    That ambition is what gets me up every single morning.  

    And, at the very heart of that, is the eradication of child poverty. 

    Last year, when I presented my Programme for Government, I referred to the eradication of child poverty as the moral compass of my government.  It remains so. It will until there is no single child left in poverty in Scotland.   

    It is also, I said, the greatest investment in our country’s future that we can possibly make. 

    And in these times of cost-of-living pressures, that investment becomes ever more important, for these things disproportionately hurt our society’s poorest.   

    That is why, over the course of this Parliament, we increased the Scottish Child Payment from the original proposal that was put to us of a £5 payment to £27.15 and created a broader package of family payments which can be worth roughly £25,000 by age 16.  

    Our policies are making a difference. On average, the lowest income households with children are estimated to be £2,600 a year better off this year as result of Scottish Government policies. By 2029-30 it is expected to grow to an average of £3,700.

    The proportion of children living in relative poverty has reached its lowest level since 2014-15, and Scotland is making deeper, quicker progress here than in the rest of the UK.

    And while the Joseph Rowntree Foundation predicts child poverty will rise in other parts of the UK by 2029, policies such as our Scottish Child Payment, and our commitment to end the cruel two-child limit, “are behind Scotland bucking the trend”.

    But if we want to truly eradicate child poverty in Scotland, we must go further, and I recognise that. We are taking the steps to lift the two-child limit and remain on track to deliver this measure to lift more children out of poverty next April.

    It is also about making sure that public services are more joined up in their response, more family- and person-centred, so that vulnerable families receive the focused help they need rather than simply the help that is available.  

    And, in the coming year, we will consult on, develop, and publish a Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2026-31 – outlining the actions we will take with our partners for low-income families across Scotland to keep us on the journey to meet our poverty reduction targets for 2030. I can assure members that this will focus on reducing household costs, boosting incomes through social security, and helping more people into fair and sustainable jobs. All of which play a central part in tackling not only the symptoms but the root causes of poverty in our society.  

    Presiding officer,  

    There is always much more that we are doing than can be mentioned in a short parliamentary statement. 

    I would encourage members, and their constituents, to read the Programme for Government with care.  

    They will see our ongoing commitment to achieving net zero by 2045. Action to maximize the environmental and economic benefits from our vast renewable energy wealth. Steps to decarbonise heating and further decarbonise our transport network.  

    To give just one example, I am proud that we have achieved our target of installing 6,000 public charge points for electric vehicles – 2 years ahead of schedule. But more is needed, which is why, in the year ahead, we will introduce a new rural and island EV infrastructure grant, supporting our commitment to approximately 24,000 additional public electric vehicle charge points by 2030.  

    They will notice the priority we are giving to the ABCs of education, with action in partnership with local government, parents, carers, pupils and schools, to raise attainment and address problems of attendance, to tackle head on behavioural challenges in our classrooms and reform the curriculum so that young Scots are fully equipped to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of this new age.  

    There is action to help regenerate our town centres.  

    Investment in thousands of new homes.  

    Record funding for the culture sector.  

    New protections for renters.  

    Expansion of dental provision.  

    A focus on additional support needs in our schools and much, much more.  

    Presiding officer, it is a Programme for Government, but also a programme for a better Scotland.   

    A programme for a stronger NHS, for a more resilient Scotland, for a wealthier Scotland.  

    Centred on delivery, providing hope, it is a programme that seeks what is best for Scotland, a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law Handbook Launch: Lord Collins’ speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law Handbook Launch: Lord Collins’ speech

    The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Lord Collins of Highbury, launched the Conflict, Hunger and International Humanitarian Law Handbook

    Good morning.

    It’s great to see you all.

    Welcome to the Foreign Office.

    For those of us lucky enough to have all the comforts we need in life it is hard to imagine how it feels to have no choice but to go without food or be forced to eat what hardly nourishes the soul and the body.

    Sadly, the heart breaking reality is that millions of people today suffer from an extreme lack of food and are acutely malnourished due to conflicts.

    This cannot go on and the UK is determined to act.

    Part of the answer is providing clarity on what the law is and how we can comply with it. 

    That is why I’m privileged to be launching a new handbook to promote compliance with International Humanitarian Law and its critical role in addressing hunger in armed conflict.

    Improving food security and nutrition are not just part of my job, I’m personally invested in this mission. 

    Before joining the government last July, I served as a shadow minister for a decade, where I was focused on driving up the global agenda on nutrition.

    Earlier this year, the World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization warned that conflict has increased acute food insecurity in 17 countries, affecting as many as 175 million people across the world.

    Many of these people have been suffering for years, trapped in never-ending conflicts.

    Sadly Gaza is the example we think of most.

    Almost the whole of Gaza is facing emergency levels of food insecurity, including Gaza’s one million children. The World Food Programme’s stocks have run out.

    That is why together with our partners, we are denouncing the two-month long block on humanitarian aid and calling on Israel to immediately restart a rapid and unimpeded flow of lifesaving help.

    It is hard to believe now that merely two decades ago the international community had confined famines to history.

    Yet over the last decade we have seen a sizeable increase in the number and severity of conflicts.

    Climate change and economic shocks have only compounded the problem.

    In eastern DRC, hunger and malnutrition are at record levels and growing.

    Trade routes and food production have been severely disrupted, and humanitarian access is limited.

    Through our humanitarian programme, we have helped three and a half million people last year and are working flat out to reach as many people as we can.

    And the United Kingdom has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and withdrawal of all Rwandan Defence Forces from Congolese territory. I am hoping that there is positive news from discussions last weekend but the situation is dire.

    If we turn to Sudan, we see farms, food markets, and water treatment facilities being destroyed by the conflict and the siege of El Fasher is causing immense suffering.

    Last month the Foreign Secretary co-hosted the Sudan Conference in London urging the warring parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian access, protect civilians and end the conflict.

    The United Kingdom is providing a further £120 million to deliver lifesaving food and nutrition supplies, including for vulnerable children at risk of wasting – a lifelong condition that will affect the ability for economic development and growth.

    It is a failure of the international system that babies and young children in conflict settings frequently suffer and die due to acute malnutrition.

    Last year at the G20, the Prime Minster launched the Joint UN Initiative for the Prevention of Wasting to help find the best ways to prevent malnutrition and save lives.

    All of these initiatives show that despite cuts to the UK’s development budget, the UK remains fully committed to playing a key humanitarian role globally.

    And this handbook is a key part of our global mission to improve compliance with international humanitarian law.

    The landmark United Nations Security Council resolution 2417, adopted in 2018, made hunger in conflict a political issue, and rightly so.

    Because famines are significantly less like to occur if all warring parties comply with international humanitarian law.

    Now, while not all causes of hunger are violations of this law, many rules are of course crucial in avoiding hunger and malnutrition.

    Our Handbook provides clear information on the law and how to follow it, with suggestions for good practices.

    Indeed, the Handbook firmly backs the agenda set out in that Security Council Resolution.

    By helping parties comply with the law.

    By making policy discussions more informed.

    And by equipping partners with the necessary information to promote compliance with the law.

    So I’m pleased to share that from today, the Handbook is free and publicly available.

    We will soon be rolling it out throughout the government and our diplomatic missions.

    I hope that you and partners across the world will use it in your mission to tackle food insecurity in armed conflicts.

    This week, as we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and reflect on the peace and freedoms we cherish, the international community must redouble its commitment to end the scourge of conflict and hunger.

    Because change is only possible when all of us, all of us, work together as one team.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: It is the responsibility of this Council to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement and support Bosnia and Herzegovina: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    It is the responsibility of this Council to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement and support Bosnia and Herzegovina: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by DCMG Karen Pierce, UK Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, at the UN Security Council debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Thank you very much Mr President. I welcome the High Representative and thank him for his briefing. I’d also like to welcome the Bosnia and Herzegovina representatives in the Chamber today.   

    It is an honour to be back, Mr President, in the Security Council and see some familiar colleagues.

    I am here today in my new capacity as the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.

    I am also here to show our support for the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for her institutions and for the High Representative, and my Foreign Secretary is, today, visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Mr President, as other people have said, it is an important year for anniversaries. 

    The 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and the founding of the United Nations. 

    The 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act which then joins us to take heed about non-interference across borders.

    And above all, for these purposes, the 30th anniversary not only of Srebrenica, but also of the Dayton Peace Agreement itself.

    But in fact, Mr President, Bosnia has been on the agenda of this Council since the early 1990s and, at times, it has been the most serious issue that the Council has had to deal with.

    Dayton, Mr President, is one of the successes of this Council.

    And because of that, the Council enshrined the Dayton Peace Agreement in a Chapter 7 Security Council Resolution 1031. This represented hard work by UNSC members over many, many years.

    It is unusual, as the High Representative and other speakers have said, it enshrined some very unusual civilian interventionist elements, but it stopped a war, and it is worth recalling, Mr President, that at the time, that war was the worst Europe had seen since the end of the Second World War.

    It isn’t colonialism for the Council to take an interest, it isn’t colonialism for us to help Bosnia and Herzegovina along her path. As the High Representative said, the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina can evolve democratically.

    This itself is written down in Dayton and with the successive conferences on peace that we’ve had held by the Peace Implementation Council, held by the Steering Board, the outcome of those conferences has been endorsed variously over the years by this Council.

    It is all our fervent hope, Mr President, that one day Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to graduate from the Council’s attentions and take its place as a normal and full member of Europe.

    The Dayton Peace Agreement mandates one state, two entities and three constituent peoples. 

    The High Representative is also mandated by Dayton as the final authority on the civilian implementation of the Peace Agreement.

    The powers that he is using have been backed by the Security Council. It is not a one-off; they have been successively backed by the Security Council.

    And I want to stress that, Mr President. I also want to stress that the High Representative himself, under Dayton, is chosen by the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board.

    He is not chosen by the Security Council, though the Security Council’s interest has been evoked from time to time, but not universally, and I want to set that straight.

    It is open to people who have left the Steering Board and, hence not had an opportunity to share in the selection of the High Representative, to return to the Steering Board.

    Mr President, the cause of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains critical to the issue of stability and security in Europe.

    The United Kingdom has great pleasure in cooperating with the European Union, with the US and others. This autumn, we will chair the Berlin Process, which emphasises regional cooperation among the Western Balkans countries themselves.

    And I want to take a moment to salute EUFOR, who is executing its Chapter 7 mandate to maintain a secure and safe environment.

    I agree that it does not have executive authority but to pretend it does is a mischaracterisation of its role.

    EUFOR is there to support the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and maintain safety and security for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens.

    And it is clear, Mr President, and we’ve heard today, that those citizens want better relations with the European Union, they want Euro-Atlantic integration. 

    We heard, particularly from the representatives of Pakistan and Sierra Leone, of their very strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I think all speakers in the Council want to uphold that.

    But it bears repeating that there is one threat to that today, and it lies in the person of the RS Entity President, Milorad Dodik. 

    His secessionist moves, his introduction of unconstitutional laws, the threats to adopt a new anti-Dayton constitution represent direct threats to that sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence as well as to the aspirations of the Bosnian people.

    What Bosnia and Herzegovina needs, Mr President, is more pluralist politics. 

    There is no threat to Republika Srpska entity, nor to the federation entity in EU integration, nor Euro-Atlantic future.

    I repeat this again, it is not a threat to RS citizens, it is not a threat to the Federation. There are many models in Europe of national and sub-national government.

    And I would point out that the High Rep would not need to use his powers if the RS President did not challenge Dayton on an almost daily basis.

    The High Rep acts against all who challenge the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it happens that at the moment, the biggest challenges are coming from Republika Srpska, but the High Representative’s role is to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement and help the state institutions to prosper and to do their work.

    Mr President, in closing, I want to refer again to what other speakers have said. 

    It is the responsibility of this Council, as it was in the 1990s, and it was when the Dayton Peace Agreement was concluded, to uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement, to support Bosnia and Herzegovina on its journey, its journey freely chosen by her citizens for European integration and to help her citizens thrive and prosper.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests illegal Guatemalan alien charged with sex crime against Massachusetts child

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WORCESTER, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested an illegal Guatemalan alien charged with sex crimes against a Massachusetts minor. Officers with ICE Boston took custody of Juan Rene Barcenes-Velasquez, 56, when officers from the Worcester District Court turned him over to ICE March 31.

    “Juan Rene Barcenes-Velasquez illegally entered the United States and unlawfully settled in Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Now he has apparently repeatedly victimized a child, doing unthinkable damage to her. Barcenes-Velasquez represents a significant threat to our community that ICE Boston will not tolerate. We will continue to prioritize the safety of New England by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders.”

    Barcenes-Velasquez illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The Worcester District Court arraigned Barcenes-Velasquez May 27, 2003, for abuse of a prevention order. The court convicted Barcenes-Velasquez of that crime and placed him on probation.

    On March 31, the Worcester District Court arraigned Barcenes-Velasquez for five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age. Later that day, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Barcenes-Velasquez with the Worcester District Court, which the court honored.

    “We are happy that our law enforcement partners opted to honor our immigration detainer against Barcenes-Velasquez,” Hyde said. “It is refreshing that our partners in Worcester placed a priority on public safety. The alternative would be for ICE to send a team of officers to make an at-large arrest potentially placing the officers, the offender — and most importantly, the community — in harm’s way.”

    Upon the transfer of custody, ICE Boston arrested and served Barcenes-Velasquez a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge. Barcenes-Velasquez remains in ICE custody.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Elevating Professional Development: Inside the GES Priority Skills Initiative

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Elevating Professional Development: Inside the GES Priority Skills Initiative

    We are excited to share a new approach to professional development for our economists across the Civil Service.

    We are excited to share a new approach to professional development for our economists across the Civil Service.

    First launched in November 2024, our new Priority Skills Learning and Development initiative focuses on five essential capabilities for economic excellence in government:

    • Communicating Economics
    • Data Analysis & Coding
    • Analytical Leadership
    • Application of Economic Theory
    • Econometrics

    The initiative combines flexibility with structure through two complementary learning pathways:

    1. The Priority Skills Web Portal

    This digital hub hosts over 150 curated resources spanning diverse formats:

    • Recommended books with peer reviews
    • Video tutorials and recorded lectures
    • Targeted podcasts and articles
    • Interactive courses
    • Specialist websites

    The portal enables personalised learning journeys, allowing economists to access materials at their own pace, whenever inspiration strikes.

    2. Structured Learning Programme

    Each priority skill receives dedicated focus through a three-month learning cycle:

    • Month 1: Learning Phase – Absorbing new concepts and frameworks.
    • Month 2: Practice Phase – Applying knowledge in professional contexts.
    • Month 3: Review Phase – Reflecting on implementation and refining approaches.

    Learning activities feature both internal GES experts and external academics, through writing workshops, coding webinars, video screenings, book club discussions and collaborative peer sessions.

    “The Priority Skills initiative provides new opportunities for economists to keep learning and demonstrates our commitment to a positive learning culture in the GES,” explains Tom Aldred, Head of the GES Team. “Better economists will help government to design better policies.”

    The initiative is already generating enthusiasm across departments. As one participant shared: “I came away motivated and ambitious about what could be shared with my team and put into practice.”

    Interested in joining a community of economists dedicated to professional excellence? Learn more about career opportunities with the Government Economic Service: https://ges-careers.hiringplatform.co.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Milkshake tax’: there’s growing evidence that expanding the UK’s sugar levy could help tackle obesity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David M. Evans, Professor of Sociotechnical Futures, University of Bristol Business School, University of Bristol

    Luis Molinero/Shutterstock

    The UK government is considering expanding its sugar tax on fizzy drinks to include milkshakes and other sweetened beverages, as part of new proposals announced in April 2025. The Treasury confirmed it plans to move forward not only with broadening the tax but also with lowering the sugar threshold that triggers it from 5g to 4g of sugar per 100ml.

    The changes, dubbed by critics as the “milkshake tax”, would end the current exemption for dairy-based drinks, as well as plant-based alternatives such as oat and rice milk. Chancellor Rachel Reeves first signalled the potential expansion in the 2024 budget, suggesting the soft drinks industry levy (SDIL), to give it its official name, could be widened to cover a broader range of high-sugar drinks.

    Based on our research into dietary change, conducted as part of the H3 project on food system transformation, we see this as a welcome and timely development.

    Not everyone shares this optimism. Opponents of what they see as “nanny state” interventionist policies argue that the SDIL has failed to deliver any real improvements to public health. In a UK newspaper’s straw poll, for example, 88% of respondents claimed the sugar tax has not significantly reduced obesity rates. Shadow Chancellor Melvyn Stride described the proposed expansion as a “sucker punch” to households, particularly given the ongoing cost of living crisis.

    Scepticism around these proposals is not surprising. Many people, regardless of political affiliation, are wary of additional taxation. And indeed, there is evidence suggesting that fiscal tools such as taxes and subsidies can be blunt instruments. They are also often regressive, placing a disproportionate burden on lower-income households.

    These concerns are valid – but they don’t quite apply to the SDIL.

    Crucially, the SDIL is not a tax on consumers. It is levied on manufacturers and importers, who are incentivised to reduce the sugar content of their products to avoid the charge. According to Treasury figures, since the introduction of the SDIL, 89% of fizzy drinks sold in the UK have been reformulated to fall below the taxable threshold.

    For instance, the Japanese multinational brewing and distilling company group Suntory invested £13 million in reformulating drinks like Ribena and Lucozade, removing 25,000 tonnes of sugar, making the products exempt from the levy. This means households aren’t priced out of soft drinks – they can simply choose reformulated and presumably cheaper versions.

    It’s true that the UK is still grappling with a serious obesity problem. In England alone, 29% of adultsand 15% of children aged two to 15 are obese.

    But the SDIL is having an effect. Excessive sugar consumption is consistently associated with rising obesity rates in the UK and globally. There has been a clear reduction in the sales of sugar from soft drinks, and the SDIL is reported to have generated £1.9 billion in revenue since its introduction in 2018.

    Early signs suggest health benefits, too. One study found a drop in obesity rates among 10 to 11-year-old girls following the levy’s implementation. Another analysis suggests that the greatest health benefits will be seen in more deprived areas, and that it may actually help to narrow some health inequalities for children in England.



    Read more:
    Child obesity is linked to deprivation, so why do poor parents still cop the blame?

    Shifting responsibilty

    The government’s 2016 announcement of the sugar tax gave manufacturers time to reformulate products before the tax’s introduction in 2018.

    Of course, the SDIL is no silver bullet. There are many contributing factors to the obesity epidemic, ranging from genetic predisposition to “obesogenic” environments – social contexts that promote unhealthy eating and sedentary behaviour, such as areas with a lot of fast food restaurants, limited access to healthy food options and a lack of pavements, parks, or safe places to exercise.

    Questions remain about the negative health effects of reformulated drinks, some of which still contain high levels of sweeteners or additives. And in the broader context of the need for food system transformation, focusing solely on soft drinks may be too narrow an approach.



    Read more:
    Are artificial sweeteners okay for our health? Here’s what the current evidence says

    But the SDIL’s success lies not just in outcomes but in its design. It shifts responsibility from individuals to industry, encouraging systemic change rather than simply blaming people for making “bad” choices. The government’s 2016 announcement of the levy gave manufacturers a two-year head start, allowing them to reformulate and get their products to market before it took effect in 2018.

    It’s also telling that the idea of taxing milkshakes has sparked such outrage, while most people now accept the high taxation of tobacco. That’s because smoking, as a public health issue, has matured: its risks are well understood and widely acknowledged. Obesity, meanwhile, is still catching up, despite posing similar health threats, including as a leading cause of cancer.

    In the UK, there’s still a strong social stigma around discussing diet and weight. But given the scale and urgency of the obesity crisis, it could be time to overcome this reluctance. Effective change will require bold, systemic policies – not just public awareness campaigns – but multipronged and targeted interventions that reshape the economic and cultural environments in which people make food choices.

    Expanding the SDIL may not be a cure-all, but the evidence so far suggests it’s a smart step in the right direction.

    David M. Evans receives funding from the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund (grant ref: BB/V004719/1).
    He is affiliated with Defra (the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) as a member of their Social Science Expert Group.

    Jonathan Beacham receives funding from the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund (grant ref: BB/V004719/1).

    – ref. ‘Milkshake tax’: there’s growing evidence that expanding the UK’s sugar levy could help tackle obesity – https://theconversation.com/milkshake-tax-theres-growing-evidence-that-expanding-the-uks-sugar-levy-could-help-tackle-obesity-255646

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Peak rail fare U-turn a huge win for commuters and climate

    Source: Scottish Greens

    06 May 2025 Transport

    Peak rail fares are an unfair tax on workers.

    More in Transport

    The SNP’s decision to take forward the Scottish Green policy of a permanent end to peak rail fares is a huge win for commuters and climate, says the Scottish Greens transport spokesperson Mark Ruskell.

    The policy was initially secured by the Scottish Greens through budget negotiations in 2023 before being dropped by the SNP in 2024.

    In February 2025 the Scottish Greens forced a vote on making the change permanent, which was opposed by the SNP.

    Mr Ruskell said:

    “This is a very welcome announcement and is a tribute to the work of green campaigners, trade unions and the many people who have urged the SNP to finally end peak fares for good.

    “The 12 month pilot that the Scottish Greens secured showed a huge uplift in passenger numbers while saving some rail users hundreds of pounds. 

    “It is regrettable that the SNP dropped the policy, and it is to their credit that they have listened and brought it back.

    “Peak rail fares have always been an unfair tax on workers, students and regular travellers. They penalise people who often have no say on when and where they need to travel.

    “This is an important step forward and a huge win for commuters and our climate. If we are to build a people’s railway fit for the future then it must be affordable, accessible and available when people need it.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Student accommodation must be included in rent control measures

    Source: Scottish Greens

    06 May 2025 Education

    It’s time to end rip-off rents.

    More in Education

    Student accommodation must be included in the Scottish Government’s rent control measures, says Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer.

    This comes after the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee voted to force the Scottish Government to include student tenancies in planned rent controls, a shock defeat for the government.

    Mr Greer said:

    “Far too many students pay sky high rents for halls and other purpose built accommodation. They deserve the same rights as other renters, and I am glad that MSPs have backed plans to crack down on the accommodation operators ripping off students.

    “Students deserve the same protections as other renters. Their halls are their home, but in many cases the costs are simply out of control and what they get for their money is extremely poor.

    “Private providers, the likes of UNITE and Student Roost, account for over three quarters of purpose-built student accommodation. Their high rates are leaving many students reliant on food banks.

    “Thanks to the Scottish Greens this bill will deliver much needed rent controls and more protections for renters. Our MSPs will continue working with other parties to ensure students get the full benefits of that work and their housing costs are brought back under control.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on counter-terrorism policing operations

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Update on counter-terrorism policing operations

    Statement by the Security Minister on recent counter-terrorism policing operations and arrests of 8 Iranian nationals.

    With permission Mr Speaker, I will make a statement on the series of national security related arrests that took place on Saturday 3 May. 

    Protecting our national security is the first duty of government, and it is a testament to our world-leading law enforcement and intelligence services that through their tireless commitment, so many plots against the UK have been thwarted. And I want to pay tribute to them again today for the work they have done not just this weekend but in recent weeks and months on these important operations.

    The 2 operations that took place across multiple locations this weekend were significant and complex. They were some of the largest counter state threats and counter-terrorism actions we have seen in recent times. 

    I am sure the whole House will want to join with me in thanking the police, security services, and other partner agencies across the country who showed their professionalism and expertise in carrying out these operations to keep our country safe.

    Honourable and Right Honourable Members will understand that these are complex investigations. 

    The police and security services need the time and space to be able to pursue those investigations and our first priority must be to protect the integrity of that work, so we do not cut across those investigations and operations at a crucial time.

    However, these are serious matters, and the House will rightly want to remain informed. I will therefore outline as much detail as I am able. I hope that Honourable and Right Honourable Members will understand that there is a strict limit to what I can say at this stage given investigations are now ongoing.

    Mr Speaker, I would first like to outline the facts around the events on Saturday 3 May. Throughout that day Counter Terrorism Police undertook a series of arrests relating to two separate investigations.

    In total eight men were arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command. Five men were arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, as part of a proactive investigation in the areas of West London, Swindon, Rochdale, Stockport and Manchester.

    All 5 men are Iranian nationals. Whilst 4 of the individuals remain in police custody, the fifth individual has now been bailed with strict conditions.

    As part of the investigation, police officers carried out searches at a number of addresses in the Greater Manchester, London and Swindon areas. Investigations continue with searches and activity still underway at multiple addresses across the country.

    The investigation relates to a suspected plot to target specific premises. Police officers have been in contact with the affected site to make them aware and provide relevant security advice and support. However, the police have also been clear that for reasons of operational security and public safety, they are not – and I am not – able to provide further information on the target at this time and I would urge Members not to speculate on the site.

    In a separate police investigation, two men were arrested at two different addresses in north west London and one man was arrested at an address in west London. All 3 were arrested under the National Security Act 2023.

    These 3 men are also Iranian nationals and remain in police custody. I can confirm to the House that these are the first Iranian nationals arrested under the National Security Act.

    The operations to execute these eight arrests under both counter-terror and counter -state threat powers, in different parts of the country, in the space of 24 hours were intensive. They involved a range of different organisations – including different police forces, counter terror police, the National Crime Agency and our security and intelligence services. Those operations were coordinated through the world-leading Counter Terrorism Operations Centre, or CTOC, which brings together and coordinates the UK’s agencies, alongside the agencies of our Five Eyes partners, to detect and tackle national security threats. I welcome the work of the previous government to establish CTOC in 2021, which this government has continued to support and invest in since taking office.

    The significant point about both counter-terrorism and counter-state threats powers is that they allow the police to intervene early to prevent and disrupt threats, not just to respond after events have taken place. That is crucial for public safety, but it also makes the investigations more complex and that is why the police need the time and space to pursue them now. We will not be providing a running commentary on the work that they are doing.

    But what now follows is an incredibly complex set of investigations, involving hundreds more officers carrying out forensic searches, collecting vital evidence across different sites across the country and securing witness statements, backed up by the continued efforts of our security and intelligence agencies. This is careful, painstaking work.

    Mr Speaker, at this stage in the operations and investigations it would not be appropriate for me to speculate on or comment further on the details of these two cases and the motivations behind any of the threats that were posed.

    But the House will be aware that these operations come against a backdrop of complex, interconnected threats to the UK – where state threats and counter-terrorism, as well as serious and organised crime, are intertwined together. 

    For twenty years the greatest focus of our national security work was on terrorism – primarily from Islamist terrorism, with additional threats from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism and other areas – and those threats have not gone away. Fifteen terrorist attacks have taken place since 2017, and there have been 43 late-stage disruptions of terrorism plots. 

    But alongside that we have seen a serious, growing and complex challenge from state threats. Last year, Sir Ken McCallum, Director General of MI5, said MI5 state threats investigations had increased by 48 per cent in the previous 12 months. He added that since January 2022, the police and MI5 had responded to 20 Iran-backed plots presenting potentially lethal threats.

    In March, I told Parliament that the UK is facing a growing and evolving threat from malign activity carried out by a number of states. 

    My statement in March outlined the government’s response to the unacceptable threat we face from the Iranian state, and the steps we are taking to ensure that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to disrupt and degrade Iran’s malign activity on UK soil. And we have delivered on the commitments made.

    I announced that the whole of the Iranian state – including the IRGC and MOIS – would be placed on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. I laid the regulations to make this happen in the House on the 1 April and committed to bring the scheme into force on 1 July. I trust all Members will vote in favour when those regulations are debated shortly.

    Let me be clear. Anyone in the UK who works for the Iranian state must declare it or they will be committing a serious criminal offence.

    We will also go after the criminal networks and enablers that Iran uses to carry out its work. And the government sanctioned the Foxtrot Network last month, a network involved in violence against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime.

    Training and guidance on state threats activity is now being offered by Counter Terrorism Policing to all 45 territorial polices across the UK.

    And the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism and State Threats Legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, was asked by the Home Secretary to review the parts of our counter-terrorism framework which could be applied to modern day state threats, such as those from Iran.

    The Home Secretary specifically asked the Reviewer to look at a state threats proscription tool so we are not held back in limitations in applying counter-terrorism legislation to state threats. Jonathan Hall has now completed his review and will publish it shortly. The government will not hesitate to take action in response to Mr Hall’s advice.

    As we continue to support the police and the security services in their investigations, I can also tell the House that the Home Secretary has instigated a series of security assessments which are being done or being refreshed in the light of the cases this weekend and the further information surrounding them. This will ensure that the government can respond robustly and comprehensively to any wider national security issues raised by these cases.

    Mr Speaker, working alongside our international allies in countering state threats is central to our success.

    The Foreign Office are engaging with our closest allies to outline the disruptive action that has taken place and will be considering potential future response options, as the investigation progresses.

    The Home Secretary remains in close contact with my Right Honourable Friend, the Foreign Secretary, who I know is committed to doing everything that is necessary to protect the country from these threats and to bring to bear all the diplomatic tools at our disposal.

    Mr Speaker, the Home Secretary and Ministers will provide an update on the national security position when we are able to do so – both following these operations and investigations and the wider security assessments that are underway.

    The government will not hesitate to act in a robust manner to respond to these plots at the appropriate time. But first, we must allow the investigations to continue.

    Our police, security and intelligence agencies are the best in the world and stand ready at all times to take action to keep our country safe – I am sure they will have the support of this whole House as they continue their vital work.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Consultation response on Non-Jury Trials in Northern Ireland, May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Government response

    Consultation response on Non-Jury Trials in Northern Ireland, May 2025

    Government response to Consultation on Non-Jury Trials in Northern Ireland

    On 9 December 2024, the Northern Ireland Office launched a 12-week public consultation seeking views on whether the non-jury trial provisions within the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 (the 2007 Act) should be extended for a further two years.

    The consultation closed on 3 March 2025. This response contains an analysis of the consultation responses received and the subsequent decision that the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made to extend the non-jury trial provisions within the 2007 Act.

    The response can be found here: Consultation response on Non-Jury Trials in Northern Ireland (PDF, 2.17 MB, 42 pages)

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Titanic Brewery raises a glass to city’s Centenary with celebratory brew

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    A brewery that has been making beer in Stoke-on-Trent for 40 years is brewing a special ale to celebrate the city’s 100th anniversary.

    Titanic Brewery – based in Burslem – has teamed up with the city council to produce a limited-edition beer in honour of the city’s Centenary.   

    Century Anniversary Ale – a traditional 4.7% ABV amber ale – will be available in bottles, cans and on cask in pubs across Staffordshire.     

    The beer’s design celebrates the city’s heritage, with labels and pump clips featuring the iconic bottle kilns that define The Potteries skyline. A portion of the proceeds from every sale will go to the Titanic Brewery Foundation, which supports charities across the region.  

    The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Lyn Sharpe, visited Titanic Brewery on 30 April to help bring this beer to life, alongside Titanic’s head brewer Will Bott.   

    The initial brewing process, which took about a day to complete, involved bringing together the four key ingredients of beer – water, hops, malted barley and yeast.  The yeast then got to work, fermenting the liquid over several days.  

    Cllr Sharpe said: “I know first-hand about Titanic Brewery’s historic role in this city as I worked there as a tour guide for a number of years until 2024.   

    “Visitors loved learning about what happens to some simple ingredients in a brewery and how they’re turned into a beautiful pint of beer for you to enjoy in your local pub. Stoke-on-Trent’s brewing heritage has played a proud role in our first 100 years, and this ale is a fantastic way to toast our centenary.   

    “The designs on the pump clips mean that pubgoers across the region will learn about our centenary and be able to raise a glass to this historic year.”    

    David Glenwright, from Titanic Brewing, said: “We are genuinely honoured to be working with the city council to produce this commemorative ale, celebrating both the city’s centenary, and our own 40th anniversary. When Titanic Brewery was established in 1985, founder John Pazio had a simple goal, to create great beer to bring together wonderful local communities.    

    “It is this same goal that drives us to this day, and whilst our beers may be enjoyed by drinkers around the world, we make sure they know their pint was proudly shipped to them from The Potteries.   

    “Stoke-on-Trent’s 100th Anniversary is a momentous occasion, and we’re excited to raise a glass or two of Century Anniversary Ale and say ‘Cheers!’ to 100 years of this incredible city and its people.”   

    Debbie Whittingham, Regional Manager and Employee Director at JD Wetherspoons, said: “James Mancell, pub manager at The Reginald Mitchell, and I were thrilled and delighted to have been invited along to the ‘mashing’ at Titanic Brewery of this celebratory brew.  

    “I can tell you that the smell in that mash room was just unbelievably gorgeous. It was great to be reminded of just how genuine real ale is, being brewed in the same way for centuries. The art of brewing is a truly magical thing.  

    “We will be stocking the ale in all of our Staffordshire pubs and a few just over the border too and I can’t wait. It’s a fitting way to celebrate Stoke-on-Trent’s centenary. Thank you, Titanic.”  

    Councillor Sharpe has long championed the real ale sector. In 2017, she was named CAMRA National Campaigner of the Year, one of only six women to receive the award in the organisation’s history.  

    For more information on Stoke-on-Trent Centenary events, visit www.sot100.org.uk 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘This will not be tolerated’ – city fly tippers warned as vehicle seized and crushed

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The action was taken as part of an ongoing investigation into fly tipping and other waste offences.  

    The distinctive sign written vehicle has been destroyed after the registered keeper failed to claim the vehicle and failed to pay a fixed penalty notice issued by the council’s environmental crime team.

    Decisive action has been taken to prevent the vehicle being used in future waste crimes and the council hopes it will send a clear message to anyone thinking of spoiling the city in this way.

    Officers first identified the van being used in an incident of fly tipping in the St Peter’s ward of the city last July, when building materials were dumped on land owned by Wolverhampton Homes. The incident was filmed by a resident and evidence was submitted to the council.

    Although the vehicle was not seen at the registered keeper’s address, the environmental crime team continued to search, and it was eventually located in February this year in a different part of the city. Officers then seized the vehicle and investigations are currently ongoing.

    The destruction of the vehicle comes as the Government has announced a crackdown on fly tipping which will include a focus on seizing and crushing vehicles of waste criminals as well as tougher penalties for waste operators who operate illegally.

    Ministers say drones and mobile CCTV cameras will also be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly tippers so they can be destroyed.  

    City of Wolverhampton Council already uses a drone and CCTV cameras in its on going battle to tackle fly tipping and has previously crushed vehicles. In January this year, the council also increased the amount fly tippers can be fined, from £400 to £1,000.

    These initiatives run alongside the city’s successful Shop a Tipper campaign. Under the campaign, anyone suspected of dumping rubbish has their images shared to appeal for information to help identify them.

    Statistics from Defra show that over the past 10 years, the council has issued 330 Fixed Penalty Notices for fly tipping, carried out 58 prosecutions and seized 24 vehicles. In addition, Defra’s latest published statistics show that while fly tipping is on the rise nationally, incidents are reducing in Wolverhampton.

    Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “This isn’t the first time that we have used our powers to crush a vehicle used for fly tipping and we want people to know that we will not hesitate to do it again if such selfish and criminal acts continue.

    “We welcome the announcement by the Government to focus on this crime and we are proud that the council is already using all of these interventions to identify and prosecute fly tippers – these include our drone, our CCTV cameras and track record of crushing vehicles.

    “Fly tipping costs Wolverhampton taxpayers around £300,000 a year and we will not tolerate it. This behaviour is anti social, harmful to people and wildlife, and an eyesore. It’s especially offensive to anyone who lives or works in the city and disposes of their waste responsibly.

    “We work very hard in the city to tackle fly tipping, and our committed action means that while figures for fly tipping are increasing nationally, the latest published statistics from Defra show Wolverhampton has actually seen a reduction in fly tipping incidents.

    “It is our clear message that anyone who is found to have fly tipped in Wolverhampton will face action, whether that is a fine, a criminal prosecution or having their vehicles seized and crushed. We will not stand by and allow these criminals to spoil our city.”

    Under the city’s Shop a Tipper campaign, residents are encouraged to contact the council with information about fly tipping. If the information provided leads to successful identification, and FPNs are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card. 

    Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information or report online at Fly-Tipping – Shop a Tipper.

    Residents are also reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open 7 days a week from 8am to 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.

    A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at Bulky item collection.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bin Collections & Recycling Centres to operate as normal over the Bank Holiday Weekend

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Bin Collections & Recycling Centres to operate as normal over the Bank Holiday Weekend

    2 May 2025

    Derry City and Strabane District Council is advising the public of service arrangements for the upcoming May Bank Holiday on Monday 5th May 2025.

    Bin collections and Recycling Centres will operate as normal on Bank Holiday Monday. Residents are reminded to leave out their bins for collection as usual. The Council encourages everyone to continue recycling and to use Blue and Brown bins correctly to help reduce waste over the bank holiday weekend.

    Council offices on Strand Road, Derry, and the Derry Road offices in Strabane, will be closed on Monday 5th May for the public holiday, and will resume normal service on Tuesday.

    Registry Offices in both Derry and Strabane will also be closed on Monday 5th May, reopening on Tuesday 2nd May.

    The Guildhall and Tower Museum will both be open as normal and welcoming visitors over the Bank Holiday weekend.

    Council-owned cemeteries will remain open and operational daily from 8:00am to 8:00pm throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.

    The Council’s Out of Hours Service for ongoing dog attacks on persons or animals will be available across the holiday. To report an incident, contact 07734 128096. While there is no obligation for the Council to respond to other matters outside normal hours, the Dog Warden may assess and respond to serious voicemails left on this number.

    All Council parks and greenways will be open over the Bank Holiday weekend, and the public is encouraged to enjoy the outdoor spaces responsibly, keeping areas clean and safe by using bins provided.

    The Alley Theatre will be open over the Bank Holiday weekend with family-friendly activities and workshops.

    Leisure Services – May Bank Holiday Schedule:

    Open – Foyle Arena, Riversdale Leisure Centre, Melvin Arena, Derg Valley Leisure and Waterside Shared Village

    Closed – Bishop’s Field, Brooke Park, City Baths and Templemore Sports Complex

    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr, encouraged everyone to enjoy the long weekend while making the most of the services available:

    “I wish everyone in our community a safe and enjoyable May Bank Holiday and I hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weather we are experiencing at the minute. Please remember to recycle where possible and use our parks, greenways and leisure spaces respectfully. Let’s keep our city and district beautiful for everyone to enjoy this spring.”

    For the most up-to-date information on services, visit the Council’s website:
     https://www.derrystrabane.com/services/opening-hours

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derry Schools Swing into Jazz with Live Music Now

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Derry Schools Swing into Jazz with Live Music Now

    6 May 2025

    As Derry enjoys its annual Jazz and Big Band Festival this weekend, the sound of swing is echoing through local schools thanks to a vibrant outreach programme funded by Derry City and Strabane District Council, delivered by Live Music Now. The initiative aims to ignite a passion for jazz in the next generation, ensuring the festival’s legacy resonates with young people across the city.

    Aisling McCallion, Festival Co-ordinator with Derry City and Strabane District Council, explained more: “Inspiring and providing opportunities for new talent is one of our main priorities at the City of Derry Jazz Festival and we want its legacy to filter down through the generations. Our local schools really support the festival and the Live Music Now programme provides a wonderful experience for all those who take part. The pupils have the opportunity to enjoy the unique experience of a live performance and to learn from some of our most talented local musicians.

    This year’s programme featured two key components. Firstly, “Jazz Labs” brought the infectious energy of jazz to seven schools. Professional jazz musicians Neil Burns, Victoria Geelan, Meilana Gillard and John Leighton delivered 19 engaging performances, introducing pupils to the fundamental elements of the genre and sparking their curiosity about the upcoming festival.

    Secondly, the “School of Jazz” programme provided a more intensive experience for aspiring young musicians in two local schools. Students at St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College and St Joseph’s Boys School were honing their skills in improvisation and performance under the guidance of our seasoned jazz professionals. This immersive programme was designed not only to develop their musical talents but also to sow the seeds for future careers in music.

    The culmination of the “School of Jazz” was held within each school with a “Mini Jazz Festival “. These showcases will provide a platform for the young musicians to demonstrate their newfound skills, sharing the stage with their professional mentors and celebrating the vibrant sounds of jazz.

    St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s hosted their showcase on Thursday 1st May followed by St Joseph’s Boys School on Friday 2nd May. Head of Music at St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College, Gareth Doherty said. “We had a great week working with Meilana and John. They gave an excellent concert workshop to our Year 9 pupils introducing them to jazz. Our GCSE music students and school band members had a great experience getting coached in performance skills and musicianship to perform together and showcase a number of songs to our own Year 8 pupils. Meilana and John were very encouraging and helped our students to perform and improvise with confidence. They have really flourished from the experience.”

    “This project is about more than just introducing jazz to schools,” says Margaret Kelly, Project Manager from Live Music Now Northern Ireland, “It’s about igniting a lifelong love of music, fostering creativity, and providing young people with the opportunity to connect with professional musicians. We hope to inspire the next generation of jazz artists and ensure that the City of Derry’s rich musical heritage continues to thrive.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foyle favourite Colum Arbuckle kicks off Jazz Festival with new book

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Foyle favourite Colum Arbuckle kicks off Jazz Festival with new book

    2 May 2025

    Derry has always been a city of music, but one of its proudest eras has to be that of the showbands, which offered young aspiring stars from the city the chance to cut loose and take their talents all over the world. One of those bright-eyed musicians was musician, producer and broadcaster Colum Arbuckle, who has now written an account of his time on tour – the tame version, he hints – which launched yesterday on the opening evening of this year’s City of Derry Jazz Festival.

    Anyone who grew up in the whirl of 1960’s Derry will uncover a treasure trove of well-known characters and memories within the pages of ‘Radio, Romance and Rock ‘n’ Roll’ which Colum has been working on since his ‘sort of’ retirement from BBC Radio Foyle after a busy 40-year career. It’s fitting that the launch took place amidst the buzz of the Jazz Festival where many of his musician peers have proudly taken centre stage over the years, including the godfather of Jazz himself, Gay McIntyre, who was a much-admired mentor to Colum over the years.

    Colum was joined by fellow jazz aficionados Jim Whiteside, Jim McDermott, John and Fiona Trotter, Joseph Leighton and the Paul McIntyre Quartet on stage at the Guildhall after the launch for a show-stopping showcase of local talent to open the festival.

    It was an opportunity to revisit the music that paved the way for a lifetime of gigging, broadcasting and producing that has made Colum one of Derry’s best loved radio personalities.

    The Mayor of Derry, Councillor Lilian Seenoi Barr, paid tribute to the veteran broadcaster as she welcomed a crowd of family, friends and colleagues to the launch. “Colum’s career as a professional musician spans an incredible 60 years. He was still at St

    Columb’s College when he got his first spot with the Willie Campbell Showband – and he’s gone from strength to strength ever since, playing all over the world with some of the biggest names in the business.

    “He leaves a fantastic music legacy for the city where he has championed so many up and coming artists over the years as a producer and sound engineer, including D:Ream’s Peter Cunnah, Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid and Brónagh Gallagher. It’s so fitting that Colum launches his humorous and heartwarming memoir at the Jazz Festival alongside the musicians who feature in his fond memories of the early years on the road. Radio, Romance and Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is a must read for anyone interested in Derry’s proud musical history down the years.”

    Speaking ahead of the event, Colum said: “I never had any intention of publishing the book. I had really just wanted to record some of these stories for my family. It was my wife Sharon who took it to her book club and then came back and said – you really need to publish this! I hope that the stories resonate with people and bring back a few memories.

    “I have many happy memories over the years and I’ve worked with some fantastic people but I think my favourite moments have been the outside broadcasts. I always loved getting out into the local community and letting ordinary people tell their stories. Radio Foyle is very much a community station and that’s what makes it special. Covering local events like the Foyle Maritime Festival and Stendhal with my great friend Mark Patterson, out amongst people, those are the standout moments. Though I’ve been lucky enough to meet lots of big names over the years. I’ve played with the Drifters and met Donovan and Suzie Quatro, and I’ve had the opportunity to travel, playing the music I love. It’s been pretty amazing actually.”

    Colum took the opportunity on the night to pay a moving tribute to Gay McIntyre, and his dear friend Gerry Anderson with whom he toured and shared the airwaves at BBC Radio Foyle for many years.

    ‘Radio, Romance and Rock ‘n’ Roll’ is available to buy through Colmcille Press.

    The City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council with support from Diageo and EY.

    For more information on all the events at this year’s festival, go to cityofderryjazzfestival.com and for regular updates follow the City of Derry Jazz festival on Facebook Instagram and X @derryjazzfest.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sunshine brings out the crowds for the City of Derry Jazz Festival

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Sunshine brings out the crowds for the City of Derry Jazz Festival

    6 May 2025

    The ‘City of Song’ certainly lived up to its name at the weekend as tens of thousands soaked up the sunshine and the sounds at the City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival.

    It was the 24th year of the renowned festival and it did not disappoint, with early indicators that numbers this year are expected to exceed the 100,000 mark.

    The festival ended on a high note on Bank Holiday Monday, with the sunshine keeping the al fresco party going all weekend. On Saturday and Sunday night headliner Billy Ocean brought some A-list magic to the Millennium Forum and had the crowds on their feet for an extravaganza of iconic hits. Waterloo Street was bouncing to the sound of the Mr Wilson’s Second Liners on Sunday evening, while the Craft Village and Guildhall Square were filled all weekend with fair weather jazz fans.

    Looking back on the events, Mayor of Derry and Strabane Councillor Lilian Seenoi Barr, said it had been a fabulous celebration from start to finish. “What a weekend – the city was absolutely swinging from when the first note sounded on Thursday until the curtain closed this evening. We welcomed music lovers from all over the world and it was wonderful to see everyone coming together out on the streets.

    “I want to take this opportunity to thank the Council team for all their work on the festival which really excelled all expectations this year. And I want to thank everyone in the business community for getting on board and making it such a success from start to finish. Next year is the 25th anniversary of the jazz festival and I’m really looking forward to marking the milestone of this fabulous event in style.”

    This year the festival saw over 400 performances delivered by over 190 acts in pubs, hotels, outdoor stages, jazz hubs, cafes and even street corners. The atmosphere was electric and the good weather brought people of all ages out in the sunshine to enjoy outdoor performances, and soak up the festival vibes.

    With over 100,000 attending over the weekend, the jazz festival always provides a significant boost to the local economy and heralds the start of the summer tourist season. The additional footfall and trade generated and high hotel occupancy rates, highlight the festival’s crucial role in showcasing the city’s renowned hospitality.

    Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter, praised the collective effort behind the hugely successful event. “I am absolutely delighted with the overwhelming success of this year’s City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival. To see tens of thousands of people out enjoying themselves in our city was truly wonderful and the great weather was an added bonus. It’s a testament to the exceptional local talent we have here in the city, and each year our international artists return again and again because of the unbelievable atmosphere and the hospitality that sets this place apart. I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved in organising, from our festivals team to the streetscape crew who were out on the ground keeping the city clean for visitors all weekend. My sincere gratitude goes out to all the local businesses – the venues, hotels, restaurants, retailers and of course our sponsors – whose partnership and support are absolutely vital. Their enthusiasm and commitment to the event brings visitors back year after year.”

    As the dust now settles after a wonderful weekend, planning will soon begin for next year’s 25th anniversary edition, building on the success of 2025 and 24 years of jazz.

    The City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council with support from Diageo and EY.

    For more information on all the events at this year’s festival, go to cityofderryjazzfestival.com

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding secured to explore new John Hume archive project

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Funding secured to explore new John Hume archive project

    6 May 2025

    The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council has warmly welcomed funding announced today for a scoping report to explore the further development of the John Hume archive, currently on loan to the Tower Museum from the Hume family.

    The team at the Museum received confirmation that the application to the Archives Revealed Scoping Grant programme was successful and work can now begin on the project, titled ‘Unlocking The John Hume Archive Collection’. The programme is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and The National Archives.

    The Tower Museum team have extensive experience working with archive and museum collections and have been carrying out the professional archive work to ensure the collection can become accessible to the public in the longer term and remain in the city for that process and beyond. A Scoping Report for this collection will help assess potential timelines to develop the collection and integrate the archive into wider engagement plans.

    John Hume’s significant political and personal archive dates between the 1960s-2000s, consisting of documents created and received throughout his time as a political representative during one of the most significant historic eras in Northern Ireland. The collection includes references to the Civil Rights campaign, the Troubles, international affairs and British and Irish relations. The documents include draft and final speeches, policy documents, publications, photographs, and ephemera collected at various events. The collection also captures John Hume’s roles and responsibilities throughout his career and is recognised as having immense value for a range of audiences.

    Welcoming the news, Mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr, said the collection would be of huge interest to visitors and a wonderful legacy for the people of the city. “I want to congratulate the Tower Museum Team on this announcement, which has the potential to develop a fascinating and internationally significant historic archive which will draw people to the city.

    “John Hume’s integral role in the Peace Process and his skill both as a local representative and a major driver of social change are documented in this archive and I know both the Hume family and the people of Derry and Strabane will be delighted to see work commence on exploring a comprehensive and fitting tribute to John Hume and his work.”

    Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter, explained more about the project: “The collection was deposited in 2024 in recognition of the archive experience and expertise of our team and the current successful display linked to John Hume’s Peace Prize Collection in the Guildhall. Conversations have been ongoing with the Hume Family and Ulster University other partners to develop plans to make the archive more widely accessible. We will now have the opportunity to look at the archive more closely and explore opportunities that will allow visitors, local and international, to learn more about the role John Hume played in the history of this very unique city.”

    Welcoming the news, the Hume family said: “We congratulate the Tower Museum team on this announcement and thank them for their hard work and dedication.  Our father was passionate about the study of history and specifically the history of Derry.  We are delighted that work is continuing on his archive, and very much hope that it can contribute to both understanding our past and help provide lessons for future generations.”

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Young Adults Urged To Help Shape the Future of The Lancaster District Young adults are being called on to help shape the future of the Lancaster district — fro..

    Source: City of Lancaster

    Young adults are being called on to help shape the future of the Lancaster district — from the types of homes we live in to where developments should happen and how transport needs can be met.

    Lancaster City Council and Lancaster University have teamed up to give 18 to 30-year-olds a real voice in major local plans through the Placemaking with Young Adults project.

    Young people’s views will help guide the council in its planning for better housing, jobs, transport, and the environment with their thoughts feeding directly into the Local Plan, a document which shapes how Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham, Carnforth and the many villages and rural areas are likely to evolve during the next few decades.

    This project builds on earlier work carried out with young people which successfully helped to create Lancaster’s Sustainable Travel and Climate Strategies.

    Those interested can join walking workshops and interactive events in May and June – which will include sharing ideas regarding the development of the district and exploring ideas ranging from innovation in land use to boosting biodiversity.

    Those interested can join walking workshops and interactive events in May and June – which includes looking at sites around Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth to look at how they can be developed and explore ideas from innovation to biodiversity.

    “Planning is vital for managing how we live together, meet changing community needs, and carefully make the best use of land, said Mark Cassidy, Chief Officer, Planning and Climate Change at Lancaster city council.

    “The Local Plan sets the direction for how our district will grow and develop over the next 15 to 20 years, guiding everything from new housing to protecting important green spaces.

    “Young people’s voices are crucial in this process. Their ideas and aspirations will help shape policies that design a district which reflects what matters most to them and influences decisions which will ultimately affect their future.”

    Dr Mirian Calvo, Lecturer in Participatory Architecture at Lancaster University, said: “Partnering with Lancaster City Council allows us to support young voices at the core of our mission.

    “It’s vital that their perspectives influence planning, ensuring future environments meet their needs and values.”

    All age groups across the district will have the opportunity to have their say and influence the Local Plan as the plan-making process continues.

    The first ‘walkshop’ takes place on May 7 and places can be booked at https://www.trybooking.com/uk/EMSW

    For more information on the project see here: Shaping Tomorrow: Engaging Young Adults

    To keep in touch with the local plan updates and further chances to be involved, see:  Local Plan Review – Lancaster City Council

    Work shops dates:

    Carnforth Hub: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM

    Lancaster Innovation Centre: Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM

    Lancaster and Morecambe College: Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM

    The Storey, Lancaster City Centre: Saturday, June 28, 10.30AM – 3PM

    Last updated: 06 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Public consultation begins on plans for Heysham Gateway site A public consultation has been launched on ambitious plans to transform underused industrial land in Heysham into a high-quality employment site.

    Source: City of Lancaster

    A public consultation has been launched on ambitious plans to transform underused industrial land in Heysham into a high-quality employment site.

    Imperial Road site

    The project, a partnership between Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council, aims to unlock the potential of the Heysham Gateway area on Imperial Road by addressing longstanding issues such as contamination, fragmented land ownership, and infrastructure constraints.

    Residents, businesses, and stakeholders are encouraged to have their say on the proposals via a dedicated consultation website: http://imperialroadheysham.co.uk

    The consultation will inform the next stages of the project, including planning submissions and funding applications.

    Councillor Martin Bottoms, cabinet member with responsibility for economic growth and regeneration at Lancaster City Council, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn dormant land into a vibrant, employment-generating business location that supports the future prosperity of Heysham and the wider district. We want local people to help shape these plans, and I encourage everyone to visit the consultation page and share their views.”

    The deadline for responses is May 28 and feedback will be used to refine the proposals before formal planning applications are submitted.

    Last updated: 06 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry City Council launches ground-breaking on-road test of Novel Modular Light Rail Track System

    Source: City of Coventry

    The Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) project has achieved a significant technical milestone with the construction of a 220-metre single-track demonstrator in the city’s heart.

    Installed along Greyfriars Road and Queen Victoria Road, this trial represents the first time CVLR’s innovative modular track form has been embedded within a live urban corridor.

    The 50 %+ completion milestone follows the appointment of the Principal Contractor in mid-February 2025. Delivery has progressed swiftly to the completion of laying and aligning all Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) slabs and the alignment, welding, and fastening of the grooved rails. With full slab bedding now also complete, the result is a structurally sound and installation-complete track form, ready to accept the CVLR vehicle.

    Over the coming weeks, the team will finalise the installation of the structural health monitoring system, rail drainage, and rail-to-pavement interface components before embedding rails in asphalt pavement. The team targets completion of the construction phase by early May 2025.

    Dr Christopher Micallef, CVLR track programme lead at Coventry City Council, said: “This milestone represents a step-change in the technology readiness level of the novel CVLR track system. Having progressed through concept design, laboratory testing, and a series of increasingly complex pilot installations in controlled environments, we are now proving the system in a dense, operational urban corridor for the first time.”

    Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration, and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “This is a significant step forward for the CVLR project and how cities like Coventry can rethink public transport infrastructure. We are not just piloting technology, we are building confidence in a scalable model that puts climate, community, and cost-effectiveness at the heart of urban mobility. And I’m pleased to say that this innovation has been born out of our manufacturing skills in this city and the wider region. The green economy is growing, and CVLR is at the heart of that here.”

    A Technically Complex Urban Demonstrator

    The track alignment was chosen to test real-world challenges typical of dense city centres. It traverses a longitudinal gradient between 1.5% and 3.5%, incorporates a 30-metre radius curve, and applies a continuous cant to facilitate compatibility with existing road geometry.

    Construction was undertaken within a strictly constrained corridor, maintaining continuous access across an active junction. Crucially, no full road closures or traffic diversions were required — a key goal in demonstrating CVLR’s ‘LITE footprint’ on the public realm.

    The route also interfaces with all primary below-ground services, including water (clean and foul), gas, electricity, and telecommunications. The track form’s shallow 300mm excavation depth and integrated utility access chambers enabled installation without major service relocation — a fundamental advantage over traditional tram systems.

    Iain Anderson, Managing Director, Colas Rail UK, said: “This trial installation demonstrates how innovative rail infrastructure can be delivered in real city environments with minimal disruption. Our teams worked closely with Coventry City Council to adapt to complex site conditions in real time, showing what’s possible when engineering meets digital responsiveness.”

    Enabling a Step Change in Light Rail Construction

    CVLR’s approach is underpinned by enabling technologies to overcome the traditional barriers to light rail deployment in the UK. These include:

    • The use of UHPC slabs as the core structural element — offering exceptional strength at approximately 100 mm thickness. This enables the construction of the track superstructure without requiring the typical concrete foundation.
    • A digitally integrated construction platform that ensures rapid design adaptation and data capture.
    • A live structural health monitoring system, embedded into the infrastructure, to validate long-term performance in real-world conditions.

    Together, these technologies enable a radically simplified, utility-friendly track form that is scalable and repeatable across various urban contexts.

    Real-Time Monitoring for Long-Term Insights

    The track section has a state-of-the-art, high-frequency structural health monitoring system. This includes strain gauges embedded within the UHPC slabs, asphalt strain gauges, accelerometers, pressure sensors, relative movement sensors, and AI-enabled camera systems.

    This system enables engineers to study the infrastructure’s behaviour under ambient conditions, CVLR vehicle loads, and general road traffic over the short and long term. The data will feed into a digital twin of the track form, allowing predictive modelling, lifecycle assessment, and future specification refinement.

    Digital Construction: Adaptable and Transparent

    Another innovation showcased in this phase is using a digital construction management platform, which enables real-time communication of on-site as-built survey data directly to the design team. This capability has proven essential during milling operations, where conditions such as out-of-spec shallow utilities and historic cobblestone layers require fast redesign and decision-making.

    The platform also generates a high-resolution, fully traceable record of the as-built infrastructure, which can be accessed using augmented reality technologies. This significantly enhances transparency, quality assurance, and long-term asset management.

    Looking Ahead

    Following the completion of construction on the test track, the CVLR vehicle will be brought into Coventry city centre to commence a period of public engagement and trial running on the newly installed infrastructure. These demonstrations will allow stakeholders and the public to experience the system first-hand and provide valuable feedback to inform future development.

    Once the trial runs conclude, the site will be returned to regular highway use, but it will continue to serve as a long-term testbed. Regular road traffic will contribute live loading to the track form, providing essential data to validate the system’s performance over time. This ongoing monitoring is critical to demonstrating the durability and lifecycle behaviour of the CVLR track form under mixed-use conditions.

    The programme will then progress towards delivering the first integrated transport system utilising the CVLR infrastructure, which will be part of the following primary phase. This work is being delivered as part of a dedicated research and development programme fully funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to create a scalable and sustainable urban mobility solution for the future.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN – Conclave: More and more Cardinals from the countries entrusted to the Dicastery for Evangelization gather in the Sistine Chapel

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 6 May 2025

    Foto d’archivio

    by Fabio BerettaVatican City (Agenzia Fides) – With the image of Christ and the Last Judgment painted by Michelangelo on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel, the Cardinals are gathering in Conclave to elect the successor of Peter. An election in which an increasing number of cardinals from the countries under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for Evangelization – Section for the First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches – are participating.To date, a total of 1,123 ecclesiastical districts (i.e., Archdioceses, Dioceses, Territorial Abbeys, Apostolic Vicariates, Apostolic Prefectures, Missions sui iuris, Apostolic Administrations, and Military Ordinariates) are subject to the Dicastery for Evangelization. Most of them are in Africa (525) and Asia (481), followed by the Americas (71) and Oceania (46).The Conclave of June 1963When John XXIII died on June 3, 1963, 82 Cardinals were still alive, all of whom had the right to participate in the election of the Successor of Peter. The rule that today prohibits Cardinals over the age of 80 from participating in the Conclave was introduced by Paul VI in 1970. Thus, the College of Cardinals that elected Pope Paul VI included Cardinals over the age of 80.Nevertheless, only 80 of them entered the Sistine Chapel. Two Cardinals did not come to Rome: the Hungarian József Mindszenty (the communist regime forbade him from leaving the country) and Carlos María Javier de la Torre, Archbishop of Quito, Ecuador (absent due to health reasons). A total of 29 nations were represented.A total of seven cardinals from the territories then under the jurisdiction of the Congregation Propaganda Fide participated in the Conclave that year: Peter Tatsuo Doi (Japan, Archbishop of Tokyo, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan), Valerian Gracias (India, Archbishop of Bombay, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India), Laurean Rugambwa (Tanzania, Bishop of Bukoba), Thomas Tien Ken-sin (China, Archbishop of Beijing, Apostolic Administrator of Taipei), and Norman Thomas Gilroy (Australia, Archbishop of Sydney, Primate of Australia, Grand Prior for Australia-New South Wales of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem).The Conclaves of 1978Paul VI was the first Pope to expand the boundaries of the College of Cardinals by appointing numerous non-European cardinals. After the death of the Pope (on August 6, 1978), who decided to exclude Cardinals over eighty from voting with the Motu Proprio “Ingravescentem Aetatem” of 21 November 1970 and modified some norms of the Conclave with the Apostolic Constitution “Romano Pontifici Eligendo” of 1 October 1975, a total of 111 cardinals were eligible to vote.At the conclave in August 1978, however, only 108 people entered the Sistine Chapel: Valerian Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, John Joseph Wright, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, and Bolesław Filipiak, Dean Emeritus of the Roman Rota, were all absent from the Conclave for health reasons.A total of 18 cardinals from the so-called mission territories took part in the election of John Paul I, including one cardinal who works in the Roman Curia and one French cardinal who heads an archdiocese in North Africa: Bernardin Gantin (Benin, President of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”), Lawrence Trevor Picachy (India, Archbishop of Calcutta, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India), Justinus Darmojuwono (Indonesia, Archbishop of Semarang), Joseph Marie Anthony Cordeiro (Pakistan, Archbishop of Karachi), Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (South Korea, Archbishop of Seoul, Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang), Thomas Benjamin Cooray (Sri Lanka, Archbishop of Colombo, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka), Joseph Marie Trinh-nhu-Khuê (Vietnam, Archbishop of Ha Noi), Maurice Michael Otunga (Kenya, Archbishop of Nairobi, President of the Episcopal Conference of Kenya, Military Vicar for Kenya), Victor Razafimahatratra (Madagascar, Archbishop of Antananarivo, President of the Episcopal Conference of Madagascar), Dominic Ekandem (Nigeria, Bishop of Ikot Ekpene, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria), Hyacinthe Thiandoum (Senegal, Archbishop of Dakar, President of the Episcopal Conference of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau), Owen McCann (South Africa, Archbishop of Cape Town), Laurean Rugambwa (Tanzania, Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam) Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga (Uganda, Archbishop of Kampala), Paul Zoungrana (Burkina Faso, Archbishop of Ouagadougou), Joseph-Albert Malula (Democratic Republic of Congo, Archbishop of Kinshasa), Pio Taofinu’u (Samoa, Bishop of Samoa and Tokelau), Reginald John Delargey (New Zealand, Archbishop of Wellington, President of the New Zealand Bishops’ Conference).In 1978, a second Conclave took place just over a month after the first, as John Paul I died after only 33 days of pontificate. During this brief period, there were no Consistories, and when the cardinals met again in the Sistine Chapel in October of that year, the cardinals were the same ones who had met a few weeks earlier. They all held the same offices. Forty-six nations were represented in both Conclaves.The 2005 ConclaveThe first Conclave of the third millennium began with the reform of the conclave, which John Paul II initiated in 1996 with the Apostolic Constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis.” That year, the cardinals were accommodated for the first time in the new guesthouse Casa Santa Marta (instead of in the halls of the Apostolic Palace), which had been built specifically for this purpose. In the conclave that led to the election of Benedict XVI, 117 Cardinals were eligible to vote. A total of 115 entered the Sistine Chapel: Adolfo Antonio Suárez Rivera (Archbishop Emeritus of Monterrey, Mexico) and Jaime Lachica Sin (Archbishop Emeritus of Manila, Philippines) were unable to travel to Rome for health reasons.At the time of John Paul II’s death, the eligible Cardinals came from 52 nations on all continents. In total, there were seventeen cardinals from countries entrusted to the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, some of whom headed dicasteries and bodies of the Holy See: Wilfrid Fox Napier (South Africa, Archbishop of Durban), Gabriel Zubeir Wako (Sudan, Archbishop of Khartoum), Telesphore Placidus Toppo (India, Archbishop of Ranchi), Armand Gaétan Razafindratandra (Madagascar, Archbishop of Antananarivo), Bernard Agré (Ivory Coast, Archbishop of Abidjan), Emmanuel Wamala (Uganda, Archbishop of Kampala), Christian Wiyghan Tumi (Cameroon, Archbishop of Douala), Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi (Democratic Republic of Congo, Archbishop of Kinshasa), Francis Arinze (Nigeria, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments), Peter Seiichi Shirayanagi (Japan, Archbishop Emeritus of Tokyo), Michael Michai Kitbunchu (Thailand, Archbishop of Bangkok, President of the Thai Bishops’ Conference), Stephen Fumio Hamao (Japan, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People), Anthony Olubunmi Okogie (Nigeria, Archbishop of Lagos), Ivan Dias (India, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples), Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja (Indonesia, Archbishop of Jakarta, Military Bishop of Indonesia), Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân (Vietnam, Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh), Peter Turkson (Ghana, Archbishop of Cape Coast).The 2013 ConclaveWhen Benedict XVI announced to the world his resignation from the Petrine Ministry during a Consistory in February 2013, 117 eligible cardinals were present, but only 115 entered the Sistine Chapel. Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja (Archbishop Emeritus of Jakarta, Indonesia) and Keith Michael Patrick O’Brien (Archbishop Emeritus of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, Scotland) were absent for health reasons.During the conclave that led to the election of Pope Francis, 17 Cardinals from the territories entrusted to the Missionary Dicastery arrived in Rome. As in previous Conclaves, several of these cardinals served in the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia: Peter Turkson (Ghana, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace), Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (Sri Lanka, Archbishop of Colombo), Robert Sarah (Guinea, President of the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’), George Alencherry (India, Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly), Oswald Gracias (India, Archbishop of Bombay), Polycarp Pengo (Tanzania, Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam), John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (Nigeria, Archbishop of Abuja), John Njue (Kenya, Archbishop of Nairobi), Wilfrid Fox Napier (South Africa, Archbishop of Durban), Gabriel Zubeir Wako (Sudan, Archbishop of Khartoum), Telesphore Placidus Toppo (India, Archbishop of Ranchi), Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya (Democratic Republic of Congo, Archbishop of Kinshasa), John Tong Hon (China, Bishop of Hong Kong), Théodore-Adrien Sarr (Senegal, Archbishop of Dakar), Anthony Olubunmi Okogie (Nigeria, Archbishop of Lagos), Ivan Dias (India, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples), Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân (Vietnam, Archbishop of Hô Chí Minh).The 2025 ConclaveAt the time of Pope Francis’s death, there are 252 cardinals alive, of whom 135 arepotential electors for the Conclave that begins on May 7. Of these, 133 will enter the Sistine Chapel, as two of them, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Archbishop Emeritus of Valencia, and Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop Emeritus of Nairobi, are absent for health reasons.It will be a Conclave with Cardinals from 66 nations. Among them are 34 from the territories under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for Evangelization. Some of them come from other countries but exercise their ministry in these mission countries, just as some are active in the Roman Curia: Giorgio Marengo (Italy, Apostolic Prefect of Ulan Bator, Mongolia), Virgílio do Carmo da Silva (East Timor, Metropolitan Archbishop of Dili), Dieudonné Nzapalainga (Central African Republic, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangui), Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla (South Sudan, Metropolitan Archbishop of Juba), Jean-Paul Vesco (France, Metropolitan Archbishop of Algiers), Soane Patita Paini Mafi (Tonga, Bishop of Tonga), Anthony Poola (India, Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad), Ignace Bessi Dogbo (Ivory Coast, Metropolitan Archbishop of Abidjan), Protase Rugambwa (Tanzania, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tabora), Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kinshasa), Stephen Chow Sau-yan (China, Bishop of Hong Kong), Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kigali), Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi (Japan, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tokyo), William Goh Seng Chye (Singapore, Archbishop of Singapore), John Ribat (Papua New Guinea, Metropolitan Archbishop of Port Moresby), Stephen Brislin (South Africa, Metropolitan Archbishop of Johannesburg), Désiré Tsarahazana (Madagascar, Metropolitan Archbishop of Toamasina), Filipe Neri Ferrão (India, Metropolitan Archbishop of Goa and Damão), Cristóbal López Romero (Spain, Archbishop of Rabat, Morocco), Lazarus You Heung-sik (South Korea, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy), Sebastian Francis (Malaysia, Bishop of Penang), Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo (Indonesia, Metropolitan Archbishop of Jakarta), Arlindo Gomes Furtado (Cape Verde, Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde), Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij (Thailand, Archbishop Emeritus of Bangkok), Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda (Japan, Metropolitan Archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu), Charles Maung Bo (Myanmar, Metropolitan Archbishop of Yangon), Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (Ghana, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences), John Atcherley Dew (New Zealand, Archbishop Emeritus of Wellington), Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don (Sri Lanka, Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo), Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédraogo (Burkina Faso, Archbishop Emeritus of Ouagadougou), Jean-Pierre Kutwa (Ivory Coast, Archbishop Emeritus of Abidjan), Joseph Coutts (Pakistan, Archbishop Emeritus of Karachi), Robert Sarah (Guinea, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments), Peter Ebere Okpaleke (Nigeria, Bishop of Ekwulobia). (Agenzia Fides, 6/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to trial of online dialectical behavioural theory for emotion dysregulation in people with chronic pain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Results from a trial published in JAMA Network Open looks at online dialectical behavioural theory for emotion dysregulation in people with chronic pain.

    Dr Whitney Scott, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Health Psychology, IoPPN, King’s College London, said:

    “This is an interesting trial that further highlights the importance of psychologically-based treatments to support the well-being of people with persistent pain. The online delivery format builds on a growing trend towards digital therapeutics to address significant challenges with treatment accessibility.

    “This is a relatively small trial that provides support for a larger study. It’s great to see that a larger trial is planned which can help to further understand the impact of the intervention, including in the longer-term. At present, while promising, there is a limit to what we can conclude from this study in terms of its impacts on future practice.

     “If the larger trial shows similar results, this will add to an established body of evidence showing the efficacy of psychologically-based treatments for people with pain. For example, there is already moderate quality evidence from a number of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) improves distress in people with pain when compared to treatment as usual. The current RCT also uses a treatment as usual control group.

     “It’s also important to say that the iDBT-Pain treatment overlaps with elements of traditional CBT and other cognitive-behavioural approaches (mindfulness-based stress reduction, ACT). These treatments have already been widely studied and used in clinical practice to support people with persistent pain to respond more effectively to emotions. So, iDBT very much builds on the tools we already have to support people with pain.

     “The study reported good effects for emotion dysregulation, depression, and pain intensity that were maintained at 21-week follow-up. However, effects for anxiety and sleep problems were not maintained. No significant improvements were observed for pain interference with daily life. This is another key outcome in the pain field and one that is often the target of cognitive-behavioural treatments for people with persistent pain.

     “The online delivery format has the potential to increase accessibility for many people. However, this may not be true for everyone. It’s plausible that people with very high levels of emotion dysregulation, the key target of this intervention, may struggle with the remote format and may need an in-person format. Notably, people with ‘personality disorders’ were excluded which may represent individuals that particularly struggle with emotion dysregulation.”

     

    Dr Franziska Denk, Reader in Neuroscience, King’s College London, said:

    “To my mind, this paper will not significantly change our understanding of how to treat people with pain.

    “It has faced the same challenge faced by almost all behavioural intervention trials: how to placebo control effectively.

    “As it was carried out, this study ends up comparing apples and oranges: in the treatment group, we have people who are being listened to, affirmed and guided by medical professionals and their peers as part of an intensive 8-week treatment programme; in the ‘placebo’ group, we have people to whom nothing happens (as that is what ‘treatment in the community’ basically means). Obviously, the ones who are being cared for actively will fare better.”

     

    ‘Online Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Emotion Dysregulation in People
    With Chronic Pain    ’ by Nell Norman-Nott et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 6th May. 

     

    DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.6908

     

     

    Declared interests

    Dr Whitney Scott:I have received research funding from the International Association for the Study of Pain and National Institute for Health and Care Research for projects investigating online delivery of psychological treatment (specifically acceptance and commitment therapy) for people with persistent pain. I have received funds for travel to conferences where I have presented on some of this work. I also provide teaching on psychosocial aspects of persistent pain management as part of my paid employment.

    Dr Franziska Denk: I have no conflicts in relation to this paper.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: FCDO press release: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Argentina

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    FCDO press release: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Argentina

    Mr David Cairns has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Argentine Republic in succession to Mrs Kirsty Hayes who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Cairns will take up his appointment during September 2025.

    Curriculum vitae           

    Full name: David Seldon Cairns

    Date Role
    2019 to present Equinor, Vice President
    2015 to 2019 Stockholm, Her Majesty’s Ambassador and Director of Nordic Baltic Network
    2010 to 2014 FCO, Director, Estates, Security, Corporate Services
    2006 to 2010 Tokyo, Director of Trade and Investment
    2002 to 2006 Geneva, First Secretary WTO
    2000 to 2002 FCO, Private Secretary to Baronesses Scotland and Amos
    1999 to 1998 Tokyo, Second Secretary Commercial
    1993 to 1994 FCO, Security Policy Department
    1998 Pre-posting training (including Hebrew language training)
    1993 Joined FCO

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investment in Derby’s SEND provision moves into next phase

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council has set out proposals to improve and expand educational provision in Derby for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). 

    A programme of work is underway to create 400 additional specialist places in the city’s schools over the next two years, with an investment of £20m approved in 2024 via the SEND and Alternative Provision Sufficiency and Capital Investment Programme.

    Locally and nationally, the SEND system is experiencing increasing demand and is under significant pressure as the cost of provision outstrips funding provided by the Government. 

    Providing more places within the city will mean more children will access vital education within their own community, alongside their peers and close to their families, reducing the need for placements outside the area.

    The SEND and Alternative Provision Sufficiency and Capital Investment Programme, approved by Cabinet members last August, focuses on enhancing the learning environment at existing schools while also expanding their capacity for pupils with SEND.

    Four key schemes will be discussed at the upcoming Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 14 May. They are:

    • Increasing specialist places at St Andrew’s Academy
    • Upgrading Kingsmead School’s Wisgreaves Road site and creating a more inclusive environment
    • Enhancing play spaces and the overall environment at YMCA Stepping Stones Nursery
    • Developing a new entrance to Central Nursery School to improve safety and accessibility

    Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, said:

    This programme supports children with additional needs to access the right support at the right time.

    These proposals will increase and improve the quality and quantity of provision within the city, creating greater opportunities for those young people to have access to school settings, with appropriate support, within their local communities, leading to more positive learning outcomes.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens hail peak rail fares U-turn and call for cheaper buses

    Source: Scottish Greens

    06 May 2025 Transport

    We did it! No more peak rail fares. Let’s see cheaper buses coming next.

    More in Transport

    The Scottish Greens have welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to finally take forward the Green policy of scrapping peak rail fares for good, and have called for action to make public transport cheaper across the board.

    The policy was initially secured by the Scottish Greens through budget negotiations in 2023 before being dropped by the SNP in 2024. 

    In the 2025 budget the Greens secured a £2 bus fare cap that the Government has committed to rolling out as a regional pilot project by January 2026.

    Speaking in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2025-26 debate today at Holyrood, the party’s co-leader, Lorna Slater, said:

    “I am delighted that the Government has finally committed to the Scottish Green policy of ending peak rail fares for good. 

    “Earlier this year, they said they wouldn’t do it. They even voted against Green calls to do it. We’ve finally got there.

    “More brave decisions are needed to make all public transport cheaper. 

    “The Scottish Government agreed to Green proposals for a £2 bus cap, only as a local pilot from January 2026, but people all across Scotland need cheaper buses now. 

    “Will the First Minister avoid the hesitation he showed over peak rail fares, get on with delivering another great Green idea: capping the price of bus fares in Scotland for good?”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Eight Welsh businesses celebrated in The King’s Awards for Enterprise

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Eight Welsh businesses celebrated in The King’s Awards for Enterprise

    Welsh recipients announced in third year of The King’s Awards for Enterprise – the UK’s most prestigious business awards.

    The King’s Award for Enterprise. Recipients from Wales.

    • Businesses from Bridgend to Wrexham recognised, with each playing a key role in the UK Government’s mission for economic growth.
    • Winners across three different categories: Innovation, International Trade and Sustainable Development.

    The recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced today [6 May], celebrating the achievements of leading businesses from across the UK and Channel Islands.

    Eight Welsh businesses across a range of different sectors have been recognized by His Majesty The King as among the best in the country, highlighting the ambition, ingenuity, and success of our diverse business community. 

    The businesses awarded cover a variety of sectors including industrial lasers, medical equipment, and baking, and are based around the country, from Wrexham to Bridgend and Welshpool. 

    One Welsh company was awarded for their innovative practices, five for their achievements in international trade and one for their sustainable development.

    By supporting more people into work, developing new innovations and exporting the best Britain has to offer around the world, businesses like these play a key role in the UK Government’s mission to go further and faster for economic growth, and put more money in more working people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change.

    Gareth Thomas, Minister for Services, Small Businesses and Exports said:

    There are some excellent Welsh businesses recognised in this year’s King’s Awards for Enterprise: from Spectrum Technologies’ pioneering laser equipment to Bluestone Resort’s commitment to environmental responsibility. 

    I wish the winners every success as they continue to grow, innovate and prosper, and commend the invaluable contributions they have already made to communities at home in Wales and abroad, helping to boost the UK economy.

    Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

    I congratulate all eight Welsh businesses who have won awards. From baking to medical devices to sustainable holidays, their work shows the best of business right across Wales, producing and exporting high quality products and services.

    By working with talented Welsh enterprises to create well-paid local jobs and economic growth, the UK Government is delivering on its Plan for Change.

    This year’s recipients include Spectrum Technologies, a global leader in the supply of industrial laser wire-processing equipment for the aerospace industry. Based in Bridgend, they have been recognised in the International Trade category.   

    Dr Peter Dickinson, Chairman and Chief Technology Officer at Spectrum Technologies, said:  

    Spectrum is very excited and proud to be a winner of the King’s Award for Enterprise. The Company faced huge challenges with Covid but our team of employees have really pulled together and helped turn a difficult situation around, more than doubling sales over the last few years.

    The King’s Award is a tribute to their combined efforts, as well as a reflection on the company’s global market-leading position supplying specialised laser wire processing equipment to the aerospace industry.” 

    Bluestone Resort is situated in the heart of the Pembrokeshire countryside. The park has been designed to reconnect families with nature in a responsible fashion, and as such they have received an award in the Sustainable Development category. 

    William McNamara OBE, CEO and Founder of Bluestone, said: 

    Receiving the King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development is a hugely exciting and rewarding milestone for everyone at Bluestone National Park Resort in Pembrokeshire.  

    Our ethos is centered on the three pillars of sustainable development: actively protecting natural ecosystems, growing the local economy and supporting local communities. This has become our operational blueprint. The King’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development gives us many reasons to celebrate, recognising the importance of our work as we continue to protect our planet for future generations.” 

    The King’s Awards for Enterprise were previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and were renamed two years ago to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 59th year, has awarded over 8,000 companies since its inception in 1965.

    His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants – the King’s representatives in each county – will be presenting the Awards to businesses locally throughout the year. One representative from each winning business will also be invited to a special royal reception event.

    Eligible businesses are free to apply for one or more categories. The recipients pass a robust assessment process, judged by experts from industry, academia, the voluntary sector, a representative from the Welsh Government and senior officials in Whitehall. On that basis, each year, The King’s Awards for Enterprise recipients are recommended by the Prime Minister.

    Richard Harris, Head of Trade at the Welsh Government and a judge on this year’s panel commented: 

    It’s an absolute privilege to represent Wales as a judge on the Kings Awards and reviewing and appraising the applications which seem to grow in quality year on year never fails to impress. 

    The Kings Award is the gold standard, it means something, for me it’s the benchmark award for quality that can literally open doors and start conversations across the world, enabling companies to access opportunities that ordinarily might not be available and win business.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government pledges greater growth for the coach sector ahead of National Coach Week

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Government pledges greater growth for the coach sector ahead of National Coach Week

    Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, visits Star Coaches in Batley and celebrates a sector that provides 42,000 jobs in the UK.

    Pictured from left to right: Richard Smith, RHA Managing Director, Simon Lightwood MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Local Transport) and Imran Dabhad, Managing Director, Star Coaches of Batley

    • Transport Minister visits West Yorkshire to pledge renewed support for the coach sector, which provides 42,000 jobs in the UK
    • meeting industry leaders, he will reinforce the UK’s commitment to working with the sector to grow local economies and make services greener
    • comes ahead of National Coach Week, celebrating an industry that contributes over £6 billion to the national tourism economy, securing jobs and delivering growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    The government has reaffirmed its support for the coach sector today (6 May 2025), as Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood visited Star Coaches in Batley ahead of National Coach Week.  

    In partnership with the Road Haulage Association, National Coach Week (12 to 18 May 2025) celebrates the essential role of coaches in everyday life, from transporting over half a million students to school each day, to providing vital backup when trains or planes are disrupted.

    The minister met with staff and Road Haulage Association leaders to discuss the industry’s contribution to local communities, and how the government can work with operators to improve accessibility, make services greener and drive economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

    Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said: 

    It was a pleasure to visit Star Coaches in Batley today, ahead of National Coach Week. 

    From getting over half a million students to school each day, to supporting 42,000 jobs for drivers and other staff, the coach sector plays a vital role in our economy, and keeps communities connected. 

    That’s why we’re working hand-in-hand with the industry to unlock its full potential – which will ultimately boost local economies, and open up access to greater job opportunities across the country to drive growth as part of our Plan for Change.

    During the visit, the minister discussed how Star Coaches supports the region – from transporting children on school trips, to helping older residents stay connected with their communities. The Batley based operator was founded in 1982 and operates a fleet of 16 to 70-seater coaches to serve local passengers across West Yorkshire.

    Tomorrow, the minister will meet with industry leaders to share insights from the visit and discuss how the government can strengthen the sector for the future. 

    As part of efforts to tackle driver shortages and expand opportunities for young people, the government is currently reviewing consultation feedback on licence rules for 18-to-20-year-olds.  

    The government is also working with the sector to continually improve accessibility, which includes running an innovation competition with Innovate UK to develop transferrable audio-visual equipment for coaches, which will award projects up to £170,000. 

    Richard Smith, RHA Managing Director, said:

    National Coach Week is a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the vital role the coach industry plays in our society.

    Coaches provide essential transport links, connect communities, and support our tourism sector. They are also a key part of the solution to reducing congestion and improving air quality.

    We urge everyone to join us in celebrating this important industry and recognise the hard work and dedication of the people who make it all possible.

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-India Free Trade Deal: A Deal For Growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    UK-India Free Trade Deal: A Deal For Growth

    The UK has secured the best deal India has ever agreed, providing businesses with security and confidence to trade with the fastest-growing economy in the G20.

    Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds with Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal

    Delivering Economic Growth 

    The core mission of this Government is to deliver economic growth that raises living standards and puts money in people’s pockets, and that is exactly what this deal will do. We estimate that it will increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, add £4.8billion a year to our economy and boost wages by £2.2 billion every year in the long run. footnote 1 This is the best deal India has ever agreed to. It delivers on our manifesto commitment to create trade relationships that unlock new opportunities for businesses across all our nations and regions. 

    Case study – Standard Chartered 

    Standard Chartered is a leading UK-based international banking group with a presence in 53 of the world’s most dynamic markets. It is the largest and oldest foreign bank in India, acting as a ‘super connector’ of cross-border trade and investment by driving commerce and prosperity through its unique diversity for more than 165 years.   

    Saif Malik, CEO, UK and Head of Coverage, UK, Standard Chartered, said:

    The UK-India Free Trade Agreement is a significant achievement. It will create new opportunities for UK and Indian businesses, enable greater access to one of the world’s largest and most dynamic markets, and drive growth and innovation across the UK-India corridor.

    We welcome this strong commitment to partnership and prosperity.

    Case study – UPS

    UPS is one of the world’s largest companies, with 2024 revenue of $91.1 billion, and provides a broad range of integrated logistics solutions for customers in more than 200 countries and territories, including connecting the United Kingdom and India. 

    Markus Kessler, Managing Director, UPS UK, Ireland and Nordics, said:

    We welcome the announcement of this important agreement between two countries that are both vital markets in our global network.

    We look forward to continuing to help businesses of all sizes across the UK reach new customers in one of the world’s most populous and dynamic countries.

    Future-Proofing Our Economy 

    This deal gives UK businesses first-mover advantage with a new economic superpower. Currently the biggest country in the world by population, India is projected to move from its fifth-largest global economy to third in the next three years, thanks to the highest growth rate in the G20. footnote 2 By the end of the decade, it will be home to an estimated 60 million middle-class consumers, whose numbers are projected to grow to a quarter of a billion by 2050. footnote 3 And by 2035, their demand for imports is on course to top £1.4 trillion. footnote 4 The enormous scope of this market, where British goods and services are already sought after, represents an equally huge opportunity for UK businesses in the decades to come. 

    Case study – John Smedley Ltd

    Established in 1784 in Lea Mills, Derbyshire, John Smedley Ltd is a UK-based manufacturer and retailer of luxury knitwear. 

    Bill Leach, Global Sales Director, John Smedley Ltd, said:

    India is one of the fastest growing luxury markets in the world, and we are very excited about the UK- India Free Trade Agreement coming to fruition.

    John Smedley knitwear is already sold in over 50 countries around the world, and now that the FTA has been finalised, we shall very much look forward to ensuring that an ever-increasing number of discerning luxury consumers in India will enjoy greater access to The World’s Finest Knitwear.

    We are thankful to DBT for their significant efforts in bringing this FTA to successful conclusion.

    Cutting costs for UK-India trade 

    From day one, this deal will support businesses across the United Kingdom by making it cheaper, easier, and quicker to trade with India. The deal will slash costs on UK exports, including whiskies and gin, cosmetics, medical devices, advanced machinery and lamb. Based on current trade alone, India’s tariff cuts amount to £400m in the first year, going up around £900m after 10 years. footnote 5 And that’s before factoring in the savings from speedier and easier trade from improved customs and digital commitments. This immediate relief represents a major advantage our businesses will enjoy over their international competitors, helping them to invest, expand, and support more high-quality jobs. 

    Case study – Smith+Nephew

    Smith+Nephew designs and manufactures technology that takes the limits off living. Smith+Nephew’s products include: Advanced Wound Management; orthopaedics and a robot assisted surgery system; and joint preservation and soft tissue orthopaedics.

    Deepak Nath, Chief Executive Officer, Smith+Nephew, said:

    Given the size of the Indian economy and its healthcare system, India is an important location for Smith+Nephew. The Free Trade Agreement offers the potential to build trading links in the healthcare sector.

    We hope that the Free Trade Agreement will enable Smith+Nephew’s innovative medical technologies to support more healthcare professionals to return their patients to health and mobility.

    Delivering opportunities for High-Growth Sectors 

    This deal supports the UK’s world-leading high-growth sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy, including:  

    • Slashing tariffs for UK’s large and varied advanced manufacturing sectors, including for automotives, electrical machinery and high-end optical products.  

    • Giving the clean energy industry brand new and unprecedented access to India’s vast procurement market, as India makes the switch to renewable energy, alongside their growing energy demand. 

    • Unlocking new opportunities for medical devices firms within the life sciences sector, with reduced tariffs and rules of origin that factor in the UK’s complex supply chains and ensure that businesses can reap the benefits.  

    • Enshrining copyright protections for the creative sector, enabling our exporters to feel confident exporting to India with a commitment that works will continue to be protected for at least 60 years. India will also commit to engaging on aspects of Copyright and Related Rights. This deal addresses the interests of UK creators, rights holders, and consumers, including around Public Performance Rights and Artist Resale Rights, which acknowledge the importance of payment rights. India will also conduct an internal review of their copyright protection terms.   

    • Guaranteeing access for the UK’s world-class financial and professional business services sectors to India’s growing market. This is on top of securing India’s foreign investment cap for the insurance sector, ensuring UK financial services companies are treated equally to domestic suppliers, and encouraging the recognition of professional qualifications. 

    • Securing India’s best ever commitments on digital trade for our Digital and technology sectors, such as promoting digital systems and paperless trade, helping UK businesses of all sizes take the opportunities on offer in this huge and rapidly expanding market.  

    Case study – Premier League

    The Premier League is the world’s most-watched football competition, reaching 1.6 billion viewers in 189 countries around the world. The global success of the Premier League makes it one of the UK’s most significant soft power assets, amplifying British cultural values and generating economic growth and inward investment. 

    Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said:

    India continues to be incredibly important to the Premier League and its clubs. It is a vibrant country that presents exciting opportunities and significant potential. The Premier League’s recent announcement of an office opening in Mumbai demonstrates our commitment to build on longstanding work to engage local fans, develop grassroots and elite football and further promote the game in India.  

    The continued growth of the Premier League and UK businesses in India will have a positive impact on our domestic economy and we welcome the news of this new trade deal secured by Government, which will support UK businesses operating in India.

    Case study – EY

    EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fuelled by sector insights, a globally connected, multidisciplinary network and a diverse ecosystem of partners, EY teams provide services in more than 150 countries and territories. 

    Rohan Malik, EMEIA and UKI Government & Public Sector Managing Partner, EY, said:  

    This agreement is poised to accelerate an economic partnership that is already thriving, with the value of total trade between the UK and India having more than doubled from £16.6bn to £40bn over the last decade.

    British businesses stand to benefit substantially from enhanced access to one of the world’s largest export markets and a skills pool that can fuel strategically important UK sectors, including professional services and emerging industries based around data and AI.

    Case study – Concrete Canvas Ltd

    Concrete Canvas Ltd is a Wales-based low-carbon concrete manufacturer. 

    William Crawford, Director of Concrete Canvas Ltd, said: 

    India is a dynamic and vibrant economy and an increasingly important market for Concrete Canvas products. A UK-India FTA will help to accelerate our plans for growth by reducing trade barriers and making us more competitive.

    This is welcome news for both UK and Indian businesses!

    Case study – Biopanda

    Biopanda is a Belfast-based medtech manufacturer which exports in vitro test kits for clinical laboratories, veterinary practice, and food safety laboratories.

    Philip McKee, Sales Manager at Biopanda, said:  

    Biopanda have been supplying a range of diagnostic products to the Indian market throughout the past ten years.

    We value the business we have done already throughout India and with the introduction of the UK-India FTA this should benefit in increased trade with the removal of export barriers.

    This will hopefully increase the market access, allowing our distributors throughout India to provide a larger range of our highly accurate clinical diagnostic products at a lower price to the consumer.

    Unlocking Opportunities Nationwide 

    Through our Plan for Change, this government will raise living standards in every part of the United Kingdom. This deal supports that goal, unlocking new opportunities in every region and nation.  

    This deal also opens a huge new market for iconic UK brands, securing India’s best ever tariff offer and providing access to India’s growing middle-class consumer base, which will give iconic UK brands the opportunity to expand their reach and influence. This access includes cutting tariffs on whiskies from 150% to 75% at entry into force, following to 40% after 10 years, as well as on other agri-food products such as soft drinks dropping from 33% to 0% after seven years, and lamb dropping from 33% to 0% at entry into force. Separately high-end cars will benefit from a drop from over 100% to 10% under a quota. We have also secured India’s best ever agreement on Rules of Origin, which enables UK businesses to take advantage of these new lower tariffs.

    This deal will also support consumers as they benefit from the best of India and greater variety as our trading relationship grows, including clothing, footwear, and iconic food and drink. New commitments will also help protect consumers from spam texts from India, which could include requiring opt-out or prior consent.

    Case study – Chivas Brothers Ltd

    Chivas Brothers Ltd is part of the Pernod Ricard group of companies and exports over £2bn of Scotch whisky and gin every year, including brands like Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet and Beefeater. India is amongst Chivas Brothers’ largest export markets and the biggest consumer of whisky worldwide by volume. The UK-India trade agreement will help solidify and potentially expand on Pernod Ricard’s existing investments, which includes a €200m distillery construction in the Indian state of Maharashtra and £100m in bottling facilities in Dumbarton, Scotland. 

    Jean-Etienne Gourgues, Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO, said:

    The announcement of a free trade agreement in principle between the UK and India is a welcome boost for Chivas Brothers during an uncertain global economic environment.

    India is the world’s biggest whisky market by volume and greater access will be a game changer for the export of our Scotch whisky brands, such as Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s. The deal will support long term investment and jobs in our distilleries and bottling plants in Scotland, as well as help deliver growth in both Scotland and India over the next decade. Slàinte to the UK Ministers and officials who steered the deal though long negotiations.

    Case study – Diageo

    Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with a collection of brands across spirits and beer categories sold in more than 180 countries around the world. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.  

    Diageo is a leading player in India’s beverage alcohol sector and is among the top 10 fast-moving consumer goods companies in India by market capitalisation. Diageo has 50 manufacturing facilities across India, employs over 3,300 people directly in market with a further 100,000 jobs supported throughout its value chain. India is one of Diageo’s largest markets globally and accounts for almost half of its total global spirits volume.

    Diageo Chief Executive Debra Crew said:

    The UK-India Free Trade Agreement is a huge achievement by Prime Ministers Modi and Starmer and Ministers Goyal and Reynolds, and all of us at Diageo toast their success. It will be transformational for Scotch and Scotland, while powering jobs and investment in both India and the UK.

    The deal will also increase quality and choice for discerning consumers across India, the world’s largest and most exciting whisky market.

    Enhancing Security through our partnership

    The UK and India already enjoy a deep and broad partnership built on our shared principles as two democracies, our commitment to the rules-based international order, strong ties in areas including culture, education, food, and sport, and of course through our living bridge – with some 1.9 million people with Indian heritage calling the UK their home. footnote 6

    This agreement encourages collaboration between our two complementary economies. It creates a framework to promote closer ties on innovation – including on new technologies in areas like agriculture, health, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. And our agreement on business mobility will help experts on both sides deliver their services, enabling us to capitalise on the economic transformation that technology will bring over the course of this century. 

    Through this deal, we are showing the world that we stand for free, fair, and open trade. In an increasingly unstable and volatile world, this provides businesses with the confidence that they need to grow and expand. And as India’s approach to global trade changes, so can this deal. We have agreed in numerous areas that, if India offer a better deal to a different country, we can come back to the table to renegotiate for the UK. 

    Case study – Coltraco Ultrasonics

    Coltraco Ultrasonics are high-exporting advanced manufacturers of ultrasonic instrumentation and systems, exporting 90% manufactured output to 120 countries. Coltraco have twice won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade and have exported to India for 30 years. Since 2019, Coltraco have won the contract for nearly 200 ships of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard and support in-service use and maintenance of their ultrasonic watertight integrity instrumentation on board. 

    Professor Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter OBE, Chairman Coltraco Ultrasonics Limited & Director-General The Durham Institute of Research, Development & Invention, said:

    Coltraco Ultrasonics is strongly supportive of the India FTA Trade Agreement and proud to have modestly contributed to and advising the British negotiating team on various chapters.

    The UK private sector can now, because of the India FTA, the Windsor Framework CPTPP, and a variety of other UK FTAs, look out to the world, balancing our exporting and investment opportunities between the USA, the EU and Asia Pacific.

    It is a tremendous success and we thank British and Indian Civil Servants for their public service in the UK-India FTA.

    Unlocking Access to India’s Untapped Procurement Market 

    For the first time, UK businesses will have guaranteed and unprecedented access to India’s vast procurement market, covering goods, services and construction. UK businesses will be granted brand new access to approximately 40,000 tenders with a value of at least £38 billion a year. footnote 8 This will unlock significant opportunities spanning a range of sectors, including transport, healthcare and life sciences and green energy. Alongside this UK firms will, for the first time, have access to India’s procurement portal, connecting them to the information they need to make the best out of these opportunities – which will grow as India builds the infrastructure necessary for an economic superpower with the world’s largest population. 

    UK companies will also get exclusive treatment under the ‘Make in India’ policy, which currently provides preferential treatment for federal government procurement to businesses who manufacture or produce in India. However, this unprecedented treatment will mean that if at least 20% of a company’s product or service is from the UK, they will be treated as a ‘Class Two local supplier’– granting them the same status that is currently only ever given to Indian businesses.  

    Protecting Our Values 

    Throughout the negotiations, we have championed our values – securing India’s first ever chapters on anti-corruption, consumer protections, labour rights, the environment, gender equality, and development. We have protected the NHS, defended the UK’s interests, ensured the points-based immigration system is not affected, upheld our high food standards, and maintained our animal welfare commitments throughout. This deal demonstrates our commitment to both workers and businesses, staying true to our values while driving economic growth.

    1. DBT CGE modelling. See Technical Annex

    2. World Economic Outlook Database, October 2024

    3. Projections are calculated using the methodology described in DBT’s Global Trade Outlook, February 2023

    4. Ibid.

    5. The methodology for estimating the value of duties can be found in Annex 5 of the technical annexes accompanying the UK-India FTA Scoping assessment

    6. 2021 England and Wales Census; 2021 NI Census; 2011 Scottish Census

    7. DBT inward investment results 2023 to 2024 (HTML version) – GOV.UK; ; Grant Thornton, Britain meets India 2024; Grant Thornton, India meets Britain tracker: 2023.

    8. This analysis utilises Top 200 Entity data from India’s e-procurement dashboard, for the financial years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, which is not exhaustively used by all federal government agencies for all procurements. Therefore, several entities included within India’s market access schedule cannot be included within the analysis. This analysis does not take into account restrictions on access as a result of Make in India, the chapter thresholds and tenders for goods or services not covered by the government procurement chapter.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK concludes trade deal with India

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK concludes trade deal with India

    Multi-billion-pound boost to UK economy with landmark India trade deal to make working people better off

    • Huge economic win for UK as trade deal with India agreed which will deliver for working people and British businesses 

    • Deal will slash Indian tariffs on key products such as whisky, cosmetics and medical devices, locking in reductions on 90% of tariff lines for UK exports to unleash opportunities for businesses across regions and nations of UK 

    • Delivers on Plan for Change as £4.8 billion added to UK economy and £2.2 billion in wages every year in the long run under deal 

    The UK and India have today agreed a landmark trade deal which delivers on this government’s core mission of growing the economy, raising living standards, and putting money in people’s pockets. 

    Indian tariffs will be slashed, locking in reductions on 90% of tariff lines, with 85% of these becoming fully tariff-free within a decade. 

    Whisky and gin tariffs will be halved from 150% to 75% before reducing to 40% by year ten of the deal, while automotive tariffs will go from over 100% to 10% under a quota. 

    Other goods with reduced tariffs, which can open markets and make trade cheaper for businesses and Indian consumers, include cosmetics, aerospace, lamb, medical devices, salmon, electrical machinery, soft drinks, chocolate and biscuits.  

    British shoppers could see cheaper prices and more choice on products including clothes, footwear, and food products including frozen prawns as UK liberalises tariffs. 

    The deal is expected to increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, UK GDP by £4.8 billion and wages by £2.2 billion each year in the long run. 

    UK businesses gain a competitive edge over international competitors when entering India’s enormous market as it gets even bigger, forecasted to become the 3rd largest global economy within three years. 

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal held final talks in London last week after relaunching negotiations only two months ago. Negotiators across both sides have worked around the clock since February to get this deal done, which is the biggest and most economically significant bilateral trade deal the UK has done since leaving the EU, and the best deal India has ever agreed. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    We are now in a new era for trade and the economy. That means going further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy, putting more money in working people’s pockets.  

    Through this government’s stable and pragmatic leadership, the UK has become an attractive place to do business. Today we have agreed a landmark deal with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world, which will grow the economy and deliver for British people and business.  

    Strengthening our alliances and reducing trade barriers with economies around the world is part of our Plan for Change to deliver a stronger and more secure economy here at home.   

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 

    This government’s number one mission is growing the economy as part of our Plan for Change so we can put more money in people’s pockets.  

    By striking a new trade deal with the fastest-growing economy in the world, we are delivering billions for the UK economy and wages every year and unlocking growth in every corner of the country, from advanced manufacturing in the North East to whisky distilleries in Scotland. 

    In times of global uncertainty, a pragmatic approach to global trade that provides businesses and consumers with stability is more important than ever.

    At least 1.9 million people with Indian heritage call the UK their home and striking this deal will strengthen the vital partnership between our two democracies. 

    The benefits for UK businesses and consumers under this deal are massive, with wins across an array of sectors.  

    Notes to editors 

    Benefits for businesses of all sizes 

    Barriers to trading will be dropped, with India agreeing to reduce tariffs on a whole host of products including whisky, medical devices, advanced machinery, and lamb, making UK exports more competitive. Based on 2022 trade alone, this amounts to India cutting tariffs worth over £400 million when the deal comes into force, which will more than double to around £900 million after 10 years.  

    Exporting to this huge market will be easier than ever before thanks to India agreeing to release goods as quickly as possible after arrival at customs, work with the UK on one streamlined portal for trade and publish customs procedures and laws online in English. In addition, new digital commitments will support electronic contracts and transactions. These changes could particularly support small and medium-sized businesses, making it easier for them to enter the Indian market. 

    Delivering for high-growth sectors 

    High-growth sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy are supported through this deal, including: 

    • Tariffs cut on the UK’s large and varied advanced manufacturing sectors from aerospace and automotive, electrical circuits and conductors, and high-end optical products. 

    • The clean energy industry will have brand new, unprecedented access to India’s vast procurement market as the country makes the switch to renewable energy and continues to see growing energy demand. 

    • Reduced tariffs on medical devices that take the UK’s complex supply chains into consideration will unleash new opportunities for the UK life sciences sector. 

    • Enhanced copyright protections for the creative sector will give exporters confidence thanks to a commitment that their work will continue to be protected for at least 60 years. 

    • World-class UK services sectors – who export just over £500 billion worldwide will now benefit from market certainty when trading into the growing Indian market. 

    More choice and protections for consumers 

    As bilateral trade grows under this deal, the UK will benefit from the best India has to offer with British shoppers enjoying access to a greater variety of clothes and shoes.  New commitments will also help protect consumers from spam texts from India, which could include requiring opt-out or prior consent. 

    Mark Kent, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, welcomed the “transformational” deal: 

    The UK-India free trade agreement is a once in a generation deal and a landmark moment for Scotch Whisky exports to the world’s largest whisky market. It shows that the UK government is making significant progress towards achieving its growth mission, and the Scotch Whisky industry looks forward to working with the UK and Indian governments in the months ahead to implement the deal, which would be a big boost to two major global economies during turbulent times. 

    The reduction of the current 150% tariff on Scotch Whisky will be transformational for the industry, and has the potential to increase Scotch Whisky exports to India by £1bn over the next 5 years, creating 1,200 jobs across the UK. It will also give discerning consumers in India far greater choice of brands, as more SME Scotch Whisky producers have the opportunity to enter the market.” 

    Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said:  

    India continues to be incredibly important to the Premier League and its clubs. It is a vibrant country that presents exciting opportunities and significant potential. The Premier League’s recent announcement of an office opening in Mumbai demonstrates our commitment to build on longstanding work to engage local fans, develop grassroots and elite football and further promote the game in India. 

    The continued growth of the Premier League and UK businesses in India will have a positive impact on our domestic economy and we welcome the news of this new trade deal secured by Government, which will support UK businesses operating in India.” 

    Bill Winters CBE, Group CEO of Standard Chartered and Co-Chair of the UK-India Financial Partnership, said:

    The UK-India Free Trade Agreement is a significant achievement. It will create new opportunities for UK and Indian businesses, enable greater access to one of the world’s largest and most dynamic markets, and drive growth and innovation across the UK-India corridor. We welcome this strong commitment to partnership and prosperity.   

    Markus Kessler, Managing Director, UPS UK, Ireland and Nordics said: 

    We welcome the announcement of this important agreement between two countries that are both vital markets in our global network. We look forward to continuing to help businesses of all sizes across the UK reach new customers in one of the world’s most populous and dynamic countries.

    Richard Heald, OBE, UK-India Business Council Chair said: 

    The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) welcomes the agreement of the new Free Trade Agreement between the United Kingdom and India. This marks a significant milestone in the deepening of economic and strategic ties between our two nations.  

    It matters when the fifth and sixth largest economies in the world reach a trade agreement. Such an agreement is illustrative of the positive momentum in the UK-India relationship, the commitment and ambition of both Governments, and the opportunities for greater trade, investment and collaboration between our countries.

    Notes to editors 

    • We have championed our values – securing India’s first ever chapters on anti-corruption, consumer protections, labour rights, gender, and development. We have protected the NHS, ensured the points-based immigration system is not affected, upheld our high food standards, and maintained our animal welfare commitments throughout. 

    Data sources for this release include: 

    • FTA economic impacts: DBT Technical Note: The preliminary economic impacts of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement 

    • India forecast to become the 3rd largest global economy within three years: IMF World Economic Outlook April 2025

    • India is the fastest growing economy in the world: IMF World Economic Outlook April 2025

    • India and the UK are the fifth and sixth largest economies: IMF World Economic Outlook April 2025 

    • 1.9 million people with Indian heritage live in the UK: ONS 2021 Census

    • UK services exports are worth over £500 billion: ONS UK trade February 2025

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –